National Pet Day: How the Fund supported Yian with Coco the assistance dog

Thanks to a grant from the RAF Benevolent Fund, Yian, now eight years old, continues to thrive with the support of his assistance dog, Coco. His specially trained Labrador has been by his side since 2020, helping him cope with the challenges of autism in a way that allows the family to lead a more independent life.

Yian’s mum, Gemma Luxton, was an RAF medic who has since transitioned out of the RAF into the part-time Volunteer Reserves. Before Coco joined the family, Gemma was searching for ways to help Yian. “I had been looking into autism assistance dogs for some time but didn’t know where to start. Through the Hive in Lichfield, I contacted a SSAFA caseworker at RAF Leeming. She provided me with all the information I needed and referred me to the Fund for financial support.”

Yian had shown signs of communication challenges as early as 2018 and was diagnosed with autism in 2020. Gemma explained: “Yian finds it difficult to make connections with other people but seems to have an affinity with animals. Coco is like a best friend for him. If he gets overcome or compulsive, Coco can take charge of the situation through nuzzling and licking Yian to calm and comfort him.”

Despite the initial plan for Coco to provide deep pressure therapy during meltdowns, the size of the dog has meant a slight adjustment to their approach. “Coco is a huge dog. He’s so big because he must be solid; he has to be trained to be able to put up with potentially being hit, and to lay on the floor for anti-bolting purposes – which will mean Coco will drop to the floor when Yian tries to run away.”

Gemma added: “He licks Yian’s feet to calm him down, and Yian will stroke Coco’s ears with his feet, which comforts him. Coco is very protective and gets in between anyone that comes near Yian. Coco also looks after Yian’s twin sister, Avarae, so he is very much an entire house support dog.”

Thanks to the grant from the Fund, Yian was paired with Coco, who was specially trained to meet his specific needs. “We would not have been able to afford a support dog without the help from the Fund. We wouldn’t be able to leave the house. We can go shopping and to doctors’ appointments all thanks to having Coco. Yian will go because he’s attached to Coco and just stroke him to make himself feel comfortable.”

Yian, who is non-verbal, communicates using a tablet with a talking programme, and is progressing in his ability to express himself. He now attends a specialist private school, funded through the local authority, where he will stay until he is 23.

With Coco by his side, Yian’s world has become more manageable, and the family are grateful for the continued support from the Fund.