GoFundMe for a Service Dog

[Kirahfaye]

I've gotten several requests regarding our GoFundMe page, so I'd like to share some more information about the service dog we are hoping to get for my daughter, Joy. I'm going to adapt the information I posted on my FB page so it makes more sense here.

A couple of you know already, but for those who don't, my daughter, has suffered from depression, general anxiety and social anxiety for several years now. She generally endures the bouts of emotional distress in silence – often not even letting my husband or I know. What most don't know is the level of anxiety she's been dealing with especially this past year. Having been diagnosed with several depression at age 12 and adding anxiety with borderline ADHD two years ago, she has gone through a very rough childhood.

Recently we have been looking into getting Joy a psychiatric service dog (PSD). This is a dog specifically trained to work with people suffering from emotional and psychiatric disabilities. This is something that can be very, very helpful to her - far beyond the companionship level of a pet! Not only could a trained service dog provide her with a source of comfort and security during panic attacks and bouts of depression, it can even help alleviate the emotional distress to the degree that Joy could eventually pursue a happy, healthy and normal life with few to no future recurrences – even attain those dreams she has had for a career and family. For the present, she could go out in public with greater confidence and with the knowledge that should she start to experience an anxiety attack, her PSD would be there to comfort and assist her through it. If she felt a bout of depression coming on, her PSD could actually help bring her back to a place of normalcy. The responsiblilty of caring for a dog would also help bring her out of her shell.

A PSD is much more than a loving pet, though that is part of it. These dogs are specifically trained under the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Joy could legally take her dog into stores, hotels, restaurants, movie theaters – anywhere (with only a couple of exceptions)! A PSD can be trained to alert their handler (and even other people) when a panic attack or bout of depression begins so that the episode can be averted.

Why am I bringing this up? To be quite frank, taking on a service dog is a very expensive project. We will be working with the Animals Deserve Better Paws for Life organization [url](http://www.animalsdeservebetter.com/201 ... 20Life.htm)[/url], a not for profit group that matches young dogs and puppies from high kill animal shelters with individuals with disabilities (both physical and psychological) and trains them according to ADA requirements. We don't know yet how much it will cost for training and initial support for the dog, but we are probably looking at a minimum of $3,500.00. Generally, PSDs do not need the amount of training that many of the dogs trained for persons with physical disabilities do so we hope it won't go much higher. In order to help alleviate as much stress for Joy as possible, we have created a GoFundMe page in the hopes that family and friends would be interested in helping Joy get her service dog. Joy's GoFundMe page is http://www.gofundme.com/bux0uw . No amount is too small and every penny will be appreciated more than you know. Joy has also set up a Facebook page to update the status of getting her service dog, their training and their general progress as time goes on. The link for that is https://www.facebook.com/JoyGetsaServiceDog .

For my friends and fellow doll collectors here, I am selling some dolls, clothing and accessories (and perhaps some Star Wars items) at really good prices, as well. If you are interested in donating you have my sincerest thanks, but don't feel pressured or uncomfortable if you don't or can't. Your well wishes, prayers and thoughts mean a lot also. Thanks, everyone!

[Jobee]

Just gotta deposit my tips in the bank! It's coming!

[Kirahfaye]

Just gotta deposit my tips in the bank! It's coming!

}}hug{{

[Kirahfaye]

We finally met with the woman who runs the service dog training organization today (unfortunately, Joy's anxiety kept her from starting the process earlier). We met a service dog in-training today that could be a good match. She's a 16 month old Aussie mix and while she's bigger than I would have liked, Kimberly (the coordinator) assures us that Joy needs a medium sized dog that is big enough to provided the pressure she needs to overcome her bouts of anxiety. And since we have a mini-Aussie and an Aussie mutt, we seem to have a theme going on here. Tomorrow we are meeting a boxer/lab mix who is 2 years old, but I suspect Joy will end up with the Aussie.

O. M. G. The cost is going to be WAY more than we expected. She can pay over 24 months and she has enough in her bank for the "down payment". But we will need to ramp up our search for ways to get donations and sponsors. Which, in and of itself, can cause Joy anxiety..... Fortunately, the organization has suggestions and even some contacts. ::crosses fingers::

http://www.gofundme.com/bux0uw

[DollyKim]

If you're used to Aussies then get one. Labs and Boxers are great dogs but their type of working dog personality is different.

[Kirahfaye]

We meet the boxer mix today and she didn't want to leave the director's side. Joy was pretty certain she wanted the Aussie, Minnie and the reserved nature of the boxer/Lab pretty much nailed it. Sunday Minnie will come do a meet and greet with our current dogs and providing they all don't hate each other (not something I'm expecting), Minnie will start living with us and training with both of them will begin later in the week.

Joy's looking into starting a blog or a YouTube vlog to journal her experiences with her service dog.

[Kirahfaye]

I updated in a different thread, but suffice it to say that the Aussie mix did not work out. After a week (where her medicine was increased) Joy finally was ready to try another dog. We visited with Sleepy, a 3 year old Chihuahua three times and over the weekend Joy decided she was ready to try it again, so we picked up Sleepy this morning. So far everything is going well, and even our two dogs seem to be find with the new - small - addition to the family.

Sleepy's training is as a therapy dog for children so the director, Kimberly, thinks he'll make a great PSD for Joy. They are getting along well and will spend the next couple of days getting to know each other. Starting this Thursday and Friday, we will be start training 2 days a week for 2-3 hrs and go from there!

http://www.gofundme.com/bux0uw

[Kirahfaye]

Update again - Joy had a severe anxiety attack that started yesterday afternoon. This is what I HATE about anxiety and depression, but mostly anxiety - it almost seems like a sentient being out to kill it's host. All my daughter could think of was the negative. She woke up worse this morning so I called her PN's office and left a message for her. Hopefully she'll answer tomorrow morning. Joy was better by the time she went to bed at 11pm, but who knows how she'll be in the morning. Despite the fact that this adorable little dog is practically velcroed to her, Joy doesn't seem to believe he can learn to be the service dog she needs. Their first group training session is Thursday so I told her to hold out until then - there could be someone in the group who has gone through what she is experiencing and could help her.

[DollyKim]

I've been down the anxiety road and I know what it's like to wake up in a different mood. Has she tried to distract her brain? Derailing one train of thought with another? You might want to look in to food interactions as well. The less peanut products I eat the easier my moods are to manage.

Tell her to give the dog a chance and teach him what to do. When Sleepy does the right thing reward him and he'll get there. He obviously has a connection to her.

[Kirahfaye]

We returned the Chihuahua, Sleepy, yesterday. My daughter is already feeling less anxiety, although she is far from back to normal. Thankfully, the organization's director said all the right things to help Joy feel better about it. In the next couple of weeks we will actually bring our Aussie mutt, Maddie, in for an evaluation to see if she could make a good PSD. Her one real problem, though, is that she is really skittish. If we can help her overcome her nervousness she might be the best choice.