‘Talented’ Caythorpe teenager makes dinosaurs to raise money for Sphynx kitten support animal
A 15-year-old boy has sold handmade dinosaurs to raise money to buy himself a support animal.
Mason Pearce, from Caythorpe, has sensory issues as a result of autism, plus anxiety, and finds that animals calm him down.
So he decided to create some dinosaur ornaments that he sold in Caythorpe Village Hall to raise over £400 to buy a Sphynx kitten to be his support animal.
Mason said: “I have always been interested in dinosaurs as I’d like to be a palaeontologist.
“I also love making things out of clay so I thought I’d put the two together.”
Mason’s mother, Suzannah Gee Pearce, said she “cannot express how proud” she is of him for doing this.
Mason decided he wants to get a Spyhnx cat and a special carrier to allow him to take it out and about with him.
The breed is also known to choose one person and remain close to that person.
Suzannah added: “We have family dogs but they have not been raised to be a specific support to Mason and he wanted an animal that he could accustomed to accompanying him on trips out so he feels less anxious or triggered by the crowds and noise.
“We told him that as we already had a few pets in the house and if he wanted his support pet he would have to pay for it himself.
“He has since been very proactive in raising money.”
Alongside selling his dinosaur ornaments in Caythorpe Village Hall, he also earned money selling drawings online, making other clay figures and also being hired to illustrate a children’s book as he is a “talented artist”, said Suzannah.
He also earned money by pet sitting and walking.
Mason has so far raised £250 of his total and has already brought some items in preparation.
He needs another £150 by the end of March, when he intends to collect the kitten.