Assistance Dog Nina

After being declined for a replacement seizure alert dog from NDIS, I am now raising funds to purchase my new assistance dog, Nina. I am fighting for a one off payment of $47,400 for a replacement assistance dog Nina. Without a seizure alert dog by my side my safety, independence and freedom are at risk.

There is no other option available which will alert me prior me a seizure...

My name is Dani Stevens, I have lived with refractory epilepsy (uncontrolled seizures) for the past 13 years. Living with life threatening, frequent seizures slowly took away my freedom & independence. I stopped university, work, sport, and could no longer access the community independently. I always had to have someone within an arms reach ready to try catch me when I would have a seizure. I was constantly at the ER with injuries from seizures and myself & family were constantly on edge waiting for the next seizure.

Thankfully in 2017 I got a pre alert seizure assistance dog named Baloo.

She has pre alerted to thousands of seizures, anaphylactic reactions & todds palsy seizures. Baloo was fundraised for by the Crossfit & Ipswich community and trained through "Dogs for Life".

She used her super sensitive nose to detect the chemical changes that occur in the body prior to an on-coming seizure. Once she smelt this chemical change she would bark to alert. She has made a huge difference to not only my life but my families life too.

Having an assistance dog has given me my life and independence back, provided unwavering support & companionship, and prevents so many injuries by alerting prior to a seizure allowing me time to sit down in a safe place and call for help. Without Baloo I would not be writing this right now. I have required CPR a number of times after seizures, if Baloo didn't alert myself & family by barking, they would not have been able come to assist and perform the life saving CPR. She has literally saved my life multiple times with these life saving alerts. Having an assistance dog has allowed me to access the community again, volunteer, do casual work, given me freedom, independence & safety back, and allowed me to live in a self contained granny flat.

My assistance dog Baloo has been on tv, radio, newspapers and magazines where she has raised much needed awareness of the amazing work medical alert dogs do. She has won Puppytales Australian Dog of the Year, Oz Top Dog with a Job and recently runner up hardest working dog for channel 10 TV show "The Dog Down Under".

Baloo turns 10 this year and is currently transitioning into retirement. Baloo has been funded for maintenance & training costs under NDIS and a recognised support for the past 5 years.

In June 2024 we started the process of applying to NDIS for a replacement assistance dog. Unfortunately we have had quite the battle on our hands.

After thousands of dollars spent on reports requested by NDIS, they have denied funding for a replacement assistance dog. The replacement cost of an assistance dog is $47,400.

Without an assistance dog I will require 24/7 care which is over $520,400 in support work per year.

My parents and brother currently provide full time (minus 47 hours support work per month) informal unpaid care for myself and this would not be sustainable for them without an assistance dog. If a new assistance dog is not funded, full time support worker would be required through NDIS.

I started training with Nina a 1 year old black labrador in September who has passed her public access test (PAT) with Dogs for Life. In this short time Nina has already started alerting prior to seizures. Dogs for Life are a registered NDIS provider and have many funded dogs provided through NDIS, including other dogs that are in training for seizure alert. All concerns, queries and evidence has been provided to NDIS. My neurologist (the top neuro in QLD for epilepsy) has also recommended a replacement assistance dog to still be the best option, along with all my other medical team.

I have addressed every single question or concern NDIS has commented on. I have even said I was happy for the funding to come out of my current plan, this suggestions also denied by NDIS.

NDIS have pushed myself and family to breaking point, if the replacement assistance dog is not going to be funded we simply do not know how we are going manage. My life and safety will be at a huge risk, freedom & independence completely stripped away, and my family (unpaid carers) will be stretched to the limit.

It is extremely disheartening to know after all these years of hard work to gain my independence & freedom back that NDIS is going to take that away from me. If a replacement assistance dog (Nina) is not funded I will be back to having someone follow me around to each room, not being able to cook safely, having someone sit outside the bathroom when im showering, having someone watch me sleep, someone always within an arms reach. I will no longer be able to work & volunteer safely, no longer be able to access the community safely, and no longer be able to live semi independently. I will be at a high risk of injuries again each day with no prior warning to seizures.

NDIS are taking away my freedom and independence by not funding a replacement assistance dog.

FB Page: Assistance Dog Nina & Baloo's Legacy