A childhood dog inspired this veterinarian to help others 

Growing up in Nigeria, Sunday Agbonika always had a dog. One of these was a German shepherd named Skipper. Skipper did everything with his family, says Agbonika. But his experience was unusual. “[Pet] dogs weren’t such a thing in Nigeria at the time,” says Agbonika. “[Let alone] having a trained dog.” Skipper inspired him to learn more about how animals can help people.

Agbonika went to veterinary school. After graduating, he came across a video by Nathan Selove, who gives talks about living with autism. In the video, Selove explains how he struggled with school and was often bullied. After getting a service dog, though, his grades and relationships improved.

Agbonika thought about his nephew, who had passed away a few years earlier. He suspected the boy may have had autism. One of Agbonika’s mentors suggested his background with animals could help support neurodivergent children. Agbonika loved the idea. “Why not look for ways to help other children like [my nephew]?” 

Today, Agbonika runs the Dogalov HumAn Support Initiative. Based in Nigeria, Dogalov uses animals to help support neurodivergent children. Agbonika also studies animal welfare and behavior through the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. Here, Agbonika shares his experiences and advice with Science News Explores. (This interview has been edited for content and readability.)   

How did you get to where you are today?

When I got into vet school, veterinary medicine wasn’t popular in Nigeria. I didn’t even know what veterinary medicine was when I saw it on my admission letter. I had applied for medicine, but I was offered a spot in the vet medicine program.

My parents didn’t realize that I’d probably have good opportunities after graduation. They fought with me to change my degree. I went through the entire process of switching from veterinary medicine to biochemistry. All that was left was for me to submit the form.

My experience with Skipper, though, got me thinking about what I wanted to do. I grew up fascinated with how an animal could be trained. I wanted to see how that could influence the lives of humans. I never submitted the form to switch programs.  

That was what led me to learn dog training. I wanted to see how I could get others to experience what I did as a child.

What was one of your biggest challenges?

I was supposed to travel to the U.S. to take a dog-learning course, but I was denied a visa. So I turned to the next best way to learn. I read as many books as I could and watched YouTube videos. I would also take in dogs from clients and train them. By the time I learned about how animals can help a person’s well-being, I felt like this was something I could do as a vet and dog trainer. So I just jumped straight into [using] it to help neurodivergent children.  

Our first challenge was reaching children who could benefit from animal-assisted therapy. We considered working with children in their homes. But the stigma surrounding autism made it a daunting experience. Instead, we tried connecting with centers that work with these children. It took a while before any of them would listen to us, but one loved the idea. They offered to have us come talk to parents and stakeholders at an event. Another center gave us the chance to run a trial to see if it would work. We ended up getting tremendous results. That let us get our message out there. Many other people have now started showing interest.

How is autism viewed in Nigeria?

Many decades ago, Nigerian children who were neurodivergent were viewed with limited understanding. It was thought that either the child or the parents were witches. That led to some negative views of autism and other neurodivergent conditions.

That idea involving witchcraft doesn’t hold any longer. But we still see the effects of it in our society. The average Nigerian who notices that their child may be autistic might first go into denial. The family might try to hide the child from the community and not associate with the child publicly.

With my nephew, it was hard. People told us all sorts of things. They would say his condition was caused by a spiritual attack. They would suggest that we take him to a spiritual leader for healing. That stigma has led to a lot of denial and so many negative perceptions. The main treatment in Nigeria and much of Africa right now is through accessible schools. The children receive therapeutic services and an education.

What is pet ownership like in Nigeria now?

There are more dogs and pet enthusiasts in Nigeria than when I was a child. I still wouldn’t say the average Nigerian is a dog person or even an animal person just yet. But more people are growing to love the idea of having a trained dog. More people are traveling west and returning with those experiences. More children are also watching cartoons and shows about animals. That builds an awareness here about animals.  

People may own a guard dog but don’t want to build a relationship with it. With everything going on in Nigeria, they may feel a guard dog is the best security available. But some [people] end up having bad experiences. When covered by the media, these stories can make people more afraid of owning dogs.

What was one of your biggest successes?

One of my biggest successes was receiving the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders in 2019. I applied for three years without getting accepted. If I wasn’t accepted in 2019, I wouldn’t have been able to apply again because of my age. Each year, the program selects 700 Africans to go to various universities in the U.S. to learn leadership and team-building skills. The fellowship helped us build a relationship with the international community. People are now getting to see the work we’re doing. I now have people here in Nigeria who are more willing to hear what we have to say.