Dog makes a difference in a child’s life

Harlee Quinn Jr. is a 6-month old female Chihauhau weighing in at 4.7 pounds, but she already has some big achievements.

Her victory as the Best in Show champion at Sunday’s Museum of Arts and Sciences Pet Show isn’t even her greatest accomplishment.

She is credited with pulling her best friend, 8-year-old Jaelynd Warren, out of his shell. Jaelynd, who has autism, named Harlee Quinn Jr. after a character in the Batman comics.

Although Harlee Quinn Jr. stays with Jaelynd’s grandmother in Milledgeville, and Jaelynd lives with his mom in Warner Robins, he claims the dog as his own and visits her regularly. He even does chores around the house to earn money to pay for her upkeep.

Jaelynd’s mother, Jaime Warren, and grandmother, Diane May, both said the dog has helped him immensely.

“He’s calm,” Jaime Warren said. “He feels responsible whenever he is taking care of the dog. He’s very attached to her and he’s very attentive to her.”

She also said that’s the dog is about the only thing that will keep is attention other than his tablet computer.

“It’s great,” Jaelynd said with a beaming smile after they won the Best in Show prize.

The pet show was in its 60th year Sunday and drew about 50 pets. It started out as a dog show but later was opened up to just about any kind of pet, even snakes. Prizes are awarded for best large dog, best small dog, best cat and best “other.” Anyone with a cat could have taken home the top prize Saturday because no cats entered. The winner in each category then takes a walk around the arena again for the “best in show” prize.

There were only two entries in the “other” category — a ferret and a pine-tree seedling. The ferret won.

Ashley VanAken, 16, showed the ferret, named Mike.

“He’s very active, but he’s very playful,” she said. “He does smell, but it’s cute.”

Had there been a prize for the largest pet, that would likely have gone to Wendy Johnson and her Newfoundland, T-bone, who checks in at 120 pounds. Thankfully, he is a perfectly calm and sweet-natured dog, she said. Newfoundlands are working dogs bred for colder climates, but Johnson helps him tolerate the Georgia heat by keeping a pool for him in the backyard.

“He definitely loves the water,” she said.

For the second year the show was held on the front lawn at Northside Coliseum Hospital, and some patients came out to watch. Susan Welsh, the director of the Museum of Arts and Sciences, said it had gotten too large for the location at the museum.

“This is a really successful event for the museum,” she said.

This story was originally published April 24, 2016 at 8:17 PM with the headline "Dog makes a difference in a child’s life."