Service Dog for Madison

My name is Madison Finlay and I need a service dog. For years now I’ve struggled with anxiety and panic attacks that have kept me from living a normal life. When I started high school, my anxiety caused me to be so terrified of school and everything around it, including studying and doing assignments. It became so hard to do these simple things that I almost dropped out. Luckily I have a good support system and am now taking a year to finish my high school credits online before I go off to university. Despite all the support I already have, I still find it incredibly hard to walk into a school or think about schoolwork, and I still face the struggles of anxiety everyday, where even the thought of living on my own and attending university is terrifying, and it’s goal of mine to get to a place where I can achieve that.


My hope is that I can get a psychiatric service dog who is trained specifically to help me and can give me the independence that I so desperately want, but can’t imagine having on my own. These dogs are trained to do many tasks, including sensing and de-escalating a panic attack (often before it even starts), deep pressure therapy, stopping self-harming behaviors, and providing a barrier between myself and others in crowds. Each of these tasks will provide me with the support and confidence I need to become my own person, unhindered by anxiety. A service dog would also be a constant companion for me, meaning I would never be alone when things get tough.


Unfortunately, service dogs are very expensive, and the cost of getting one is the only thing stopping me from moving forward with the process. The cost for a fully trained and certified service dog is over $22,000 and this is where I need your help…


Even the smallest donations help, and every penny I receive will go towards paying for my service dog. I am eternally grateful for every donation, and if you can’t donate, I ask that you share my story with your friends and family to help get the word out.