For two Illinois siblings with autism, life a year ago was full of meltdowns, limited social interaction and frequent instances of wandering away from mom. But that all changed when the family got a service dog specifically trained to assist people with autism.

Now the kids are more confident and, when they have a problem, their canine pal is there to help out. The dog calms the kids with a nuzzle if they’re getting agitated. He’s also able to locate them by scent if they wander away from home. And now, if the family goes to Wal-Mart, the kids are social with other customers who are curious about their dog, reports The (Bloomington, Ill.) Pantagraph. To read more click here.