ANSONIA, Conn. - For 13-year-old Jeff Glazer, service dog Riley is more than a best friend.
Glazer suffers from a peanut allergy so severe that any casual contact with peanuts could be fatal. To help protect Jeff, the Glazer family found Riley, a specially trained yellow lab.
Riley is trained to search out any trace of peanuts that Jeff may come into contact with. The Glazer family paid $10,000 for Riley.
"I'm able to go to movies and bring him to sleepovers and parties to check the food," Jeff said.
Before Riley joined the family, Jeff spent much of his childhood at home afraid of having an allergic reaction.
"We were very active and constantly monitoring where he was and what he's eating," said Lisa Glazer, Jeff's mother. "The rule has always been you don't eat anything that we didn't give you."
Now that Riley's around, Jeff has a new lease on life.
"He's saved me from reactions so many times," Jeff said of Riley. "He's a real life saver."
Lauren Knobbe contributed to this report.
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