Help a disabled woman get a service dog!

Hello everyone. My name is Lyssa - and I need your help!

Last year I was able to get a psychological assessment done with the help of my incredibly generous friends and family. From this assessment, I was able to get a veritable alphabet of diagnoses which have helped me to access psychiatric treatment and assistance. I’m still working on myself, my coping mechanisms, and my health overall; but I have once again discovered a roadblock to my success.

As some of you know, I have been diagnosed with a form of PTSD. This makes it difficult for me to be in crowds, to navigate public spaces, and regulate my emotional responses to triggers. Furthermore, I struggle with chronic pain and joint issues that have not yet been diagnosed, but impact my mobility. The people around me have been incredibly helpful and supportive, but I cannot rely on them for everything. They cannot be with me 24/7.

But a service dog could.

The waiting list for a service dog through a charitable organization is incredibly long, and the ones I have found or been put in contact with are prioritized for children or veterans. The best (and fastest) option for me is to work with a breeder to obtain a puppy who could be trained to serve as my service dog.

A dog from a certified breeder costs upwards of 4000 dollars; the specific breed I am interested in adopting, a Portuguese Water Dog, can be found for around 3500 dollars, give or take. The basic courses to begin the training will cost approximately 1200 dollars, and further training is a ‘variable’ amount; it can cost anywhere between 2 or 5000 dollars, but I am aiming for a 2000 dollar budget, using a combination of semi-local resources and online training courses.

I can afford to support a dog’s medical and daily needs and costs. What I can’t afford is the up front cost of adoption, training, and travel, all at once.

My generous estimate of the amount I would need is 8000 CAD, factoring in the possibility that training and travel would cost more than I’ve estimated or anticipated. We all know gas costs are constantly fluctuating, after all. The absolute lowest amount is 6500 CAD, which assumes the lowest cost for accreditation training and testing possible. Adding in the fees and such from the gofundme page, I’d love to be able to raise 7000 CAD to ensure I can do this.

If I manage to achieve this goal, I could radically change my life. I’d have a support animal who could remind me to take my medication, even when I don’t believe I deserve to do so, or have forgotten that I should. They would be able to fetch things that I’ve dropped when my chronic pain stands in my way. They could alert me to flashbacks or panic attacks, interrupt one in progress, and even assist me in ensuring my personal space is respected in public, as well as check around corners or other barely visible places for my safety and peace of mind.

I want to be able to be out in the world again. I want to be able to have a normal job, pay my bills, and just… go to the mall, like anybody else. I want to feel safe leaving my home, or even just being IN my home while I’m by myself. I desperately miss my independence. My sense of safety. My life. Having a service animal will allow me to once more become a productive, and perhaps even successful, member of society. Do you think you could help me?

Regardless of what you can or cannot do to assist, thank you so much for taking the time to read this. I appreciate each and every second you have spared for my plight; and if you do choose to donate, I cannot possibly thank you enough.

Much love,

Lyssa