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| Dawn-joy and Lucy. |
This week SAT interviewed artist-musician-writer, autism advocate and PhD candidate Dawn-Joy Leong. Her assistance dog, Lucy, is a greyhound. They spend much of their time in the studio at the University of New South Wales' College of Fine Arts. As a vet, I often interact with my patients and their owners only at work. But they have rich and complex lives outside of the consulting room. Dawn-Joy was only too happy to discuss her bond with Lucy at length. So make yourself a cuppa and enjoy this beautiful story.
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I am serious about my passions, beliefs and how I
live life, but I don't like taking myself too seriously. Here is my favourite
self description:
...eternal
student of life, trundling in a rusty old wheelbarrow along the rocky road
towards a Ph.D, flipping the pages of imagination, creating dog ears,
making splotches, humming in and out of tune, dancing around
polyrhythmic-chromatic-pandiatonic mental fires, flying and falling, meandering
in and out of discombobulation, gazing at pulchritude, picking up sound
waves, stroking, caressing, embracing and learning new ways to
see. Accompanied on this wonderful journey by my beautiful greyhound, Lucy
– what more could anyone wish for?
Your PhD is about neurodiversity...what is that?
My research and artistic practice is about autism,
creativity and designing mutually empathic platforms or spaces for people of
all neurological cultures to enjoy. Neurodiversity refers to the inclusive
concept that since our brains function in myriad ways, conditions such as
autism, attention deficit hyperactivity, dyslexia etc should not be viewed in a
negative light, but rather merely as varied neurological functioning systems.
My artistic practice is a constantly evolving learning journey about Self and
Other, using artistic expression as a means to reflect on differences and
similarities, juxtapositions, intersections and building enriching
co-existence.
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| "I could not get her to sleep in her own bed thereafter" - Dawn-Joy on Lucy. |
How did Lucy come into your life?
Pets, especially dogs, were always part of my
family life. My father was a firm believer in adopting, rather than buying, and
this too is my view. When I first arrived in Sydney two years ago, I
volunteered to foster a retired racing Greyhound, and I was given Lucy. I had
read about the plight of these beautiful dogs, who are bred mainly for the
purpose of racing. I was appalled when I learned that out of the tens of
thousands bred a year solely for the purpose of racing, only a very small
fraction actually end up adopted into homes as pets. I wondered where the
'wastage' ended up, and I wanted to do my small part for these noble animals.
Looking back, she decided to adopt me long before I made the decision myself.
The rehoming organisation instructed not to allow her onto my bed, because
there was no telling if the future family would like that or not. Hence, she
slept in her own bed just next to mine.
One night, we both happened to wake up
at exactly the same moment. I sat up, and saw her eyes staring straight into
mine. She held my gaze for a split second, though it seemed like an eternity,
then she jumped into my bed and curled up next to me. I could not get her to
sleep in her own bed thereafter. I signed the adoption papers a month later.
Many people don't realise that greyhounds can be
service dogs. How does Lucy support you?
Greyhounds are probably the most misunderstood
breed of dogs, next to Pit Bulls. While it may be true that they can be fearful
and skittish, and not all former racing Greyhounds are suitable for rehoming,
this has less to do with their intrinsic natures, but rather in the way humans
treat them during their growing years, being groomed only for the racetrack and
nothing more. In actuality, Greyhounds are very suitable as service dogs and
therapy dogs for certain kinds of conditions, and I hope more and more will be
retrained for this purpose. As in any kind of close affiliation, a service dog
and his/her human partner need to be the right match for each other. In my
case, Lucy is perfect in every way.
Here are just a few highlights.
I am autistic, and have autism-related
hypersensitivity. This means that my senses (e.g. smell, hearing, touch, taste
and vision) are very much heightened, and what may seem innocuous stimuli
to the general populace can be very challenging and even excruciating for me.
1. Lucy is very quiet and gentle. I love all dogs,
and I know it is natural for dogs to bark, but sudden loud noises shock and
upset me, especially when I am trying to concentrate on a task. Like most
Greyhounds, Lucy does not bark, unless we are engaging in our special playtime
conversation. As soon as I end our little tête-à-tête, she will stop too.
She is not a 'watch dog' of course, but she does alert me to changes in my
surroundings through her body language, rather than barking. Lucy is also my
'wake up call.' I don't need to be shocked into consciousness by an alarm clock
with Lucy by my side. Lucy wakes me up at 5.30am every morning, placing her
head very softly on me, and cuddling close if I stir and reach out for her. As
soon as I open my eyes, I see her watching me attentively, alert to my every
nuance. Lucy is so silent that nobody else living in my apartment block will
even know there is a dog present, if they do not bump into us at the lobby!
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| Lucy is a very quiet dog. |
2. Lucy is very clean. I am fastidious about
cleanliness and odours - dirt and foul smells upset my equilibrium and often
trigger reactions such as nausea and anxiety. Lucy prefers not to walk on wet
surfaces, soggy or tall grass, she will never roll in mud or dig holes, she
doesn't poke her nose into the rubbish nor sniff at other dog's poop, and will
quickly step away from her own as soon as she is finished. She likes being
clean and enjoys it when I wipe her paws and all over, each time we return from
our walks. Lucy also does not shed as much as other dogs, and she does not have
the strong 'doggy odour' common in most other breeds. In fact, I often tell my
friends that she smells like warm vanilla! A friend of mine who has looked
after Lucy twice, while I was away on working trips, calls her the Princess,
because of her dainty ways.
3. She is very serene and composed. She doesn't
shock me by making sudden or jerky movements, she never jumps at me, or skips
around me - even when she is very excitedly waiting for her treats, her
gestures are always fluid, smooth and gentle.
4. Lucy reminds me to do what is important. Routine
and repetition are also crucial parts of autistic function. Lucy mastered our
schedule very quickly. She now reminds me when it is time for breakfast, her
early morning walk, her longer morning long walk, our afternoon break,
dinnertime and our final evening walk. However, on the flip side of routine,
the autistic brain also has the propensity to concentrate so intently on an
interesting task that we often forget to be kind to our bodies, we do not take the
necessary breaks and we forget the time. When that happens, and I am lost
inside the vortex of an absorbing task, Lucy will bring me back to our regular
routine in polite and sweet little ways: a meaningful look, a little nudge, a
sniff at my elbow, and even sliding gently between me and my work table and
popping her head through to kiss my face!
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| Lucy (at the studio) gently reminds Dawn-Joy to take a break. |
5. She is sociable and friendly. Lucy has no
preconceived notions of social impositions, she is just confident about who she
likes and who she dislikes. Through her, I've made an assortment of friends,
some of whom I never would have known, if not for her. Unlike many other
autistic people, I do not suffer from self-confidence issues or a fear of
socialising, but I just do not feel the desire at all to socialise merely for
the sake of interaction alone. However, as soon as I began to walk Lucy, people
in my neighbourhood would approach me to chat. Greyhounds are an uncommon
sight, even in a neighbourhood like Paddington, where I used to live, and
almost everyone has a dog or two. Lucy has opened up so many new
socio-perceptual and existential paradigms for me, and now, even superficial
small talk with strangers has become a way in which I can engage in some
meaningful autism advocacy, as well as promote Greyhounds as wonderful
assistance dogs!
6. Lucy helps me with gentle exercise. Greyhounds
do not need as much exercise as some more active dog breeds. They prefer to
sleep and laze at home all day. Lucy is a typical Greyhound in this respect.
She loves going out for short walks, but does not like too vigorous or
arduously long periods of exercise. I used to suffer from severe arthritis, but
our regular gentle walks have eased my condition so much that I have not had a
major flare up since Lucy came into my life! Of course, when I do get the
chance to take Lucy to a fenced park, she thoroughly enjoys running around at
super Greyhound speed! However, even then, she tires quickly, after only a few
minutes, and returns to my side panting, and ready to lie down again. People
who do not know Greyhounds well are often quite surprised by this, as the
misperception is that they require a lot of strenuous exercise daily.
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| Greyhounds don't run around like greyhounds all day! |
Why is it important to be able to bring her to uni
with you?
Lucy basically functions as my support against
sensory anxiety, which many autistic people suffer from, due mostly to
hypersensitivity and intense detail focused cognition, juxtaposed against the
challenges of living in a world that is too often overly stimulating and
demanding on our senses. She is not only a comfort to me, but also an
important practical distraction.
First thing in the morning, I have
someone who needs me to get out of bed promptly, bring her outside for her
morning micturitions, and take care of early victuals. This literally means
that I cannot afford to lie in bed in a state of high anxiety, I just have to
get up and go! That she is cheerful and greets the day with zest makes the
assignment all the more pleasant. Once I am up and going, my brain 'switches
gears,' away from anxiety to focus on the tasks at hand. When I have to spend
long hours working at my studio space in the university, Lucy is both my anchor
of calm and a distraction from anxiety triggers. When I feel sensorially
disturbed or overwhelmed, having her by my side to stroke, hug or even divert
my attention towards, helps me to refocus, like taking a deep breath. Her scent
also has a surprising calming effect on me, much more effective and unique than
essential oils!
Sociable as she is, Lucy nevertheless does not like too much
noise or large confusing crowds, and I have found that she will lead me away
from potentially overwhelming spaces, even before I notice them. Hence, I like
to take her everywhere I go, not just to university, but being a Ph.D scholar
on a tight budget and time frame, the university is of course where
I spend most of my time when not at home working.
How would you describe your bond?
I like the title of Temple Grandin's book,
"Animals Make Us Human," because it is so very true! Dogs have the
advantage over other pets in that they show remarkable desire and instincts for
attachment with humans. I have always bonded better with dogs than with
humans. With Lucy, however, it is a very special connection - ours is
a symbiotic relationship. She knew from the very start how to support me
in the ways which I prefer and need: she is always positively confident,
exuberantly inquisitive, gently affectionate but not needy or overt in her
gestures. I never had to teach her that.
I work at home and at my studio in the
College of Fine Arts. When I am working, Lucy waits patiently for me. She
snoozes in her bed, and each time her eyes open, they are focused on me. On my
part, I strive to be as attentive to her as she is to me, and I know she
appreciates that a great deal. When we are outside walking, my focus is on
her, rather than socialising. Even when people stop us to chat, I don't lose my
focus on Lucy. I am constantly observing her body language, I want to know
whether she is happy, comfortable, interested in something, or uneasy, bored or
anxious.
Having hyper senses does help me tune in to her better, and I enjoy
learning about her as much as I can. She has led me to do extensive research
about Greyhounds, and revived my interest in behavioral studies. It is
inevitable, then that Lucy has become an inspiration for intellectual
contemplation and artistic creativity, and I have stumbled upon many
interesting ideas just from observing Lucy and juxtaposing her sensorial
abilities against my own.
I have also learned a great deal about life, living,
patience, endurance and simple trust and love, from her. Lucy enjoys being
out, discovering new places, and making new friends. Being a Greyhound, she is
of course highly sensitive to sudden sounds and touches, but yet, she recovers
very quickly and these sensory impositions do not quell her zeal at all. It is
a pure joy that rubs off on me, both sensorially and intellectually. My
observations of her lead me to ponder intervention strategies to help myself and
others with overwrought senses. Many people have remarked how lucky Lucy
is to have found me, but I honestly feel that I am the lucky one to have been
adopted by Lucy!
The awareness around service dogs is growing, but
what do people need to know about them?
I am not an expert in this area, but dogs have
served humans in multifarious ways throughout human history. Dogs can perform
specific roles that other humans are unable to. Guide dogs have served the
needs of the blind for many years. Nowadays, dogs are fulfilling more functions
in our daily lives, apart from being well loved pets. A great number of people
suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder find it impossible to relate with
other humans, but they find refuge and strength in their relationship with
their service dog. Many autistic children who shun human interaction (for
myriad reasons) are observed to respond better to animals, especially dogs.
The
list is a long one, as long as that of existing human anomalies. Of course, it
is very important to find the 'right fit,' just like in any close or
intimate relationship. If a person with specific needs finds the right
companion and is willing to be the best companion in return, the relationship
can be extremely rewarding emotionally, offering a great deal of practical
support at the same time. Both human and dog grow and learn together, in an
enriching and mutually beneficial relationship.
We hear that Lucy is the first service dog to be
allowed at UNSW. Is this the case and if so, what does this mean?
I was told by the people at the Student Equity and
Disability Unit that she is the first service dog in UNSW. I am very grateful
that everyone has been very open minded and accepting of my unusual requests. I
first sought permission to bring Lucy to my art studio at the College of Fine
Arts (COFA) in Paddington, because working for long hours in an unfamiliar
environment renders me prone to high anxiety, and Lucy would help me maintain
my equilibrium better.
The entire application and approval process (letters of
support from the university health clinic's doctor, Student Equity and
Disability Unit, both my supervisors and final approval from COFA faculty
management) was a smooth and pleasant one, and we were made to feel very
welcome by everyone, from the faculty, to security personnel and fellow
students. Most recently, we moved into accommodations at the main campus, UNSW,
in Kensington. My lease on the terrace house I was renting in Paddington had
come to an end, and my landlord concurrently informed me of planned
redevelopment. Although he was very kind and offered me a month to month
arrangement until the redevelopment plans were approved, I nevertheless needed
a more stable living environment where I can focus on my work. However, I was unable
to secure another affordable rental that would accept Lucy, despite Lucy being
my service dog and not just a pet dog.
Being on a very tight schedule, I cannot
afford the time and energy to fight my case legally, and I don't believe in
forcing someone to rent to me if unwilling, so I applied for university
accommodation. Again, the process was a smooth one, and I was offered a small
studio flat very quickly. This, to me, is an important reflection of how truly
inclusive my university is in practice, not merely on paper. As a forerunner of
sorts, I also feel a self imposed responsibility to be exemplary in our conduct
at all times when on campus grounds. I would love to see more service dogs in
campus, and I am honoured to be part of dynamic advocacy in this area. Of
course, I am proud of Lucy, that she has been the modicum of good behaviour
thus far.
You've said before that greyhounds are great
assistance dogs for people with autism. Why is this so?
As highlighted above, Greyhounds, because of their
more gentle natures, loving and affectionate but not physically intrusive in
their displays, are potentially great matches for people with autism, who are
averse to loud or sudden sensory disturbances and/or too much physical or
spatial intrusions. Greyhounds can be excellent service / therapy dogs for
people with conditions that require calmer, gentler and less effusive
companionship or interaction.
Do you have any tips for veterinarians with regards
to working with service dogs?
I greatly respect the work that veterinarians do,
and vets are usually the first port of call for dog owners who care about their
dogs' welfare. Hence, vets are in a key position to help point people in the
right direction, even if service dogs may not be their area of specialisation.
In my case, I didn't start out intending Lucy to be my service dog, she
became my closest and most supportive companion for my daily needs, and I
realised that she had taken on the role of service dog without any training at
all.
My doctor addressed my specific needs, with Lucy in the equation, but
it took me a lot of arduous searching to find an organisation with
affordable fees and an approach sympathetic to my needs that would train her to
be a service dog. It would help greatly if vets are able to suggest
reliable training facilities for people interested in their dogs becoming
service dogs. Lucy is now enrolled in the "mindDog" programme,
and is well on her way towards Australia-wide official certification as my
service dog.
Thanks Dawn-Joy and Lucy for taking the time to talk to us. And if anyone is interested in supporting mindDOG, please click here.
