Help Bjorn Get A Service Dog

Hi There! My name is Bjorn. I'm a 23 year old mentally ill trans man who struggles horribly with his codependency on others to go outside. I'm diagnosed with Chronic Depression, Bipolar II, ADHD, Social Anxiety, Gender Dysphoria, and Aspergers. I'm trying to save up to have a local dog trained to assist me in public as a service dog. Service dogs are commonly trained to help Autistic people cope with anxiety and help disrupt self-harming behavior. 

I struggle to go outside by myself unless it's absolutely dire. My anxiety has made it nearly impossible to maintain a job. It's embarrassing to me but I've gotten to points where I have overdosed at the workplace to escape the anxiety. I don't get myself groceries until I've been hungry for a day or two, because the physical and emotional pain that comes with going outside is too much for me sometimes.  After multiple suicide attempts and hospitalizations I was placed in Transitional Age Youth of Fresno to help me with a stable living situation and help with therapy and emotional support, and a case manager to help me with taking steps toward living a normal life. 

I'm hoping to be able to afford a dog within a year and a half. Things have been getting harder and harder lately, and as an adult with a small support network in real life, it's a constant struggle. I have no family support, (But I do have a motherly figure I am thankful for) and I can't depend on friends to be able to get my groceries and go places with me. Not discounting my friends though, they are literally what gets me through life. I have some of the best friends one could ever ask for. My biggest fear is being a burden on others, and a service dog would be another step toward independence.  

Sadly I'm on a very limited income, but saving what I can for this. I get $89 per month after rent is paid to live off of. I am still going through the process to get disability, so I live off of general relief. I am trying to make as much as I can, but at the rate I make currently, it would take over 8 years to save up for a service dog's training alone. I'm not sure I can last that long.

I contacted a local dog trainer who has experience training service dogs, and she gave me a quote of $5,000 dollars for a month-long intensive training and lessons afterward with myself involved. I asked her if she could train the dog to perform these tasks for me:

Walk on loose leash, or at heel, through a crowd-- To reduce anxiety and isolation in crowded environments; provide a narrow, external focus to reduce sensory overload.

Down-stay for tactile stimulation-- To reduce anxiety, distractability, and feelings of isolation.

Touch/Hug on cue-- To reduce apathy, isolation, and sadness.

Whine or lap-up--To provide socially-acceptable exit strategy.

"I think the best approach to getting the training you need would be one of my board and train packages as I can take the dog and teach the foundation behaviors you need and then do follow up lessons with you (included in the program) and show you how to maintain those behaviors. I can also administer the Canine Good Citizen test to the dog when we feel the time is right.

The best option I feel would be doing my one month board and train program with follow up lessons, the cost of this program is $5,000. This would give me plenty of time with the dog to get the basic behaviors in place so that we could start doing public access training and outings with the dog." - Shayne Gurry of Star Maker Dog Training and Behavior

The $5,200 quote includes the cost of the training and possible spaying/neutering of said dog. I do not have a dog currently, and Shayne Gurry has offered to help me choose a dog. I am saving up myself to help with this, and the price will be adjusted along with what I have saved up! 

It means the world for me to be independent. I really want to be able to go outside myself. I really want to live a normal life. A service dog will help with that. A service dog can accompany me with what I need to do. A service dog will be able to accompany me anywhere and aid with my panic attacks, emotional breakdowns, and self-harming behavior. Legally a service dog could also help me in the workplace and maintain a job. I would be incredibly thankful for the opportunity to get this help. Thank you for the consideration.