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Lending a helping hand or paw to get people on the spectrum to a path of greater independence
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It's a great story, and it's the goal of one organization on Long Island. Fox News' Jodi Goldberg has more on Paws of War and how the group is helping both ends of the leash
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I'm doing great with the dog. You're doing a really great job. Michael Estacchio is proof the old saying is true
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A dog is in fact a man's best friend. I pet them and socialize with them
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You can find the 26-year-old here at Paws of War in Wisconsin on Wednesday mornings
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It's where he and other young adults from the Winter Center for Autism take part in a program through Paws of War known as Spectrum Paws
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We get dogs that are coming from local shelters, overseas for our active military members that we're rescuing, to horrific puppy mills
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The nonprofit rescues dogs and cats, and young adults like Michael are taught how to care for them before they're placed with veterans and first responders
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These young adults learn everything from how to groom a dog how to walk a dog how to socialize a dog and so many other things The Spectrum Paws program runs about a year and while everyone is of course welcomed back here at any time the goal is to learn the skills
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and then move on to employment or other volunteer opportunities. When they leave here, they have a tremendous amount of experience now
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Olivia Chen started with the program last year. Seeing animals happy and changing their lives makes me happy
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And now she has a job here, working as a kennel technician
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The best thing that ever happened to me. Up to 85% of adults with autism are unemployed
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Paws of War hopes to change that statistic. We have dogs that come in that are frightened, that trust nobody
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And she will go in the kennel and spend two, three hours with them, and they will start coming out of their shell
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It's a win for the dogs. Making them happy, seeing them smile and wag their tail makes me happy
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And it's also a win for Michael. When I'm with them, I feel like I'm happy here
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Olivia. I love animals, so it's always been my dream to work with animals. And for all of the other young adults who are learning the skills to succeed
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In Wisconsin, Long Island, Jody Goldberg, Fox 5 News
