Girl With Severe Peanut Allergy Gets Service Allergy Dog

Peanut allergies are often among the most severe food allergies, and have the potential to trigger life-threatening reactions known as anaphylaxis. One 3-year-old girl in Ohio has a severe peanut allergy, and her family now has a new tool to protect her, according to ABC 13. Delanie Jahns now has a service allergy dog to alert her when there is peanut residue, which could touch off a serious allergic reaction.

When Delanie was just a baby, she got ahold of a cookie containing peanut butter. The snack nearly took her life, and her parents realized that their young daughter had a serious allergy to peanuts. Since then, the family has taken precautions to protect her. Though their home is peanut-free, going out in public can be a challenge, especially with a toddler who doesn't yet understand the full danger of peanuts.

The family recently adopted Brie, a 2-year-old Australian Labradoodle. A certified allergy alert service dog, Brie has been specifically trained to detect even the smallest traces of peanuts. Trained by Angel Service Dogs in Colorado Springs, she can detect peanuts, peanut oil, residue on a toy or other surface, and even peanut dust in the air. Delanie's mother Jamie commented that Brie “Has opened up a whole new world for us” by adding another layer of protection between Delanie and peanuts.