Hulu to Release Rosie O’Donnell Documentary on Service Dogs

Rosie O’Donnell is shining a light on the incredible impact service dogs can have on young people with disabilities in her new documentary.

In “Unleashing Hope: The Power of Service Dogs for Children with Autism,” O’Donnell shares how a service dog named Kuma made a positive difference in the lives of her and her son Clay, who has autism.

“I didn’t have any idea that they had service dogs for autistic kids,” O’Donnell shared in a trailer for the documentary. She recalled how Kuma immediately connected with Clay, saying “that’s her person.”

The documentary also follows Kaleb, a 9-year-old boy with autism who is in the process of getting his own service dog, offering a glimpse into the training process of these incredible animals.

O’Donnell discovered the Guide Dogs of America service dog program through her friend Lyle Menendez, who is currently incarcerated. The film showcases how the organization allows prisoners to train service dogs, not only benefitting the dogs and their recipients but also providing inmates with purpose and hope, leading to a 0% reoffending rate among participants.

You can catch “Unleashing Hope” on Hulu starting Tuesday.