FROM THE "IF THIS DOESN'T MELT YOUR HEART, NOTHING WILL" FILE - San Antonio, Texas -- One local family well versed in the special needs of disabled children adopted another special family member -- a deaf dog. When the Devicariis family set out to adopt a dog, they had several canines in mind. But when workers with the Animal Defense League revealed a special trait of one dog, they knew they had to have him.

Laurie Devicariis, the mother of two special-needs children adopted from Russia, said that when they found Ballau he looked like a great dog. "He just fell in love with Hanna, I mean Hanna and him somehow they had a connection," said Devicariis. They said that when workers said he was also deaf, it seemed like the perfect match for her son Matthew and daughter Hanna.

"I was kind of surprised and I said, 'Oh, well, he will fit in our family,'" said Devicariis. Ron Aaron said he was glad to see the dog adopted because special needs animals seldom are. "It is often tough for people to adopt a baby with a special needs. The same is true with dogs and cats," said Aaron, of the Animal Defense League. Devicariis said she hoped to learn from her work with special needs and train the dog in a similar manner.

"I am trying to get in touch with somebody to do some individual training and teach me how to teach him how to do signs," said Devicariis. Hanna Devicariis said she has her own ideas. "Ballau doesn't have a hearing aid, so we need to buy him a hearing aid," she said.

SOURCE: http://www.ksat.com/news/14297288/detail.html