A Special Service Dog for Carter

For those of you who may not know me, my name is Carter. I was born with a neuromuscular disability called cerebral palsy, and I also have other chronic health conditions, including complex  post-traumatic stress disorder. I use a wheelchair to get around, and although I am able to live independently, I require assistance from caregivers on a daily basis. The last few years have been especially challenging, as  chronic illness has kept me largely sidelined from professional, academic, and community involvement. Last summer, after the sudden loss of my beautiful dog Luna,  I was reflecting on the next chapter in my life. I realized that I needed more than the companionship of a pet; I also needed the support of a service dog.  With that support, I feel confident that I could be more active, more involved in my community, and less isolated, with fewer barriers to environmental access and participation.

When I was in my first year of college over a decade ago, one of my instructors introduced me to this quote by George Bernard Shaw. He said: "I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die, for the harder I work, the more I live. Life is no ‘brief candle’ to me. It is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for a moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to the future generations.” I wholeheartedly agree; my life is not my own. It belongs to my community. What I am seeking, ultimately, is the support I need to return to the work I feel called to do,  which includes advocacy for people with disabilities.

Having a service dog will benefit me in a lot of different ways. Service dogs are more than pets. They are trained in a variety of specific tasks to mitigate the impact of their handler's disability (in my case, CP and PTSD). When most people think of PTSD, they probably think of soldiers on the battlefield. Sadly, however, post-traumatic stress is something that can affect anyone, regardless of their background, who has survived traumatic events. Having a service dog trained for PTSD would be really empowering for me, because I would be better able to identify and respond to triggering episodes, and I would  have the support I need to regulate and calm  my nervous system. My dog would be trained to recognize and interrupt flashbacks, provide deep pressure therapy, and alert me when I am feeling overwhelmed so that I can take care of myself. I also  need a service dog to help with mobility-related tasks, including retrieval of items, pressing of buttons I can't reach (such as those for automatic doors, elevators, and my emergency call system), and summoning of help from my caregivers. 


After an extensive search, I have been able to connect with an amazing, small service dog program that has committed to finding and training a dog to meet my unique needs. I am so excited, but now I need to ask for some help from my community. Privately training a service dog requires a significant investment, one that is beyond my means. The money I raise will go towards identifying a suitable dog, veterinary care, feeding, and, of course, training. It will also cover travel expenses related to team training.


Now, to answer the obvious questions. Why not apply for a service dog through PADS or another similar organization? Why do I need to fundraise at all? Aren't service dogs free? The answers are three-fold: one, PADS does amazing work, but it just isn't the right program for me. In part, that's because I am allergic to dogs, so I need a hypoallergenic dog, like a standard poodle or golden doodle. Most programs only train Labs or Retrievers. Two, as outlined above, I need a service dog that is cross-trained in more than one category of disability, and very few organizations are willing and able to do this. Most programs that train dogs for PTSD prioritize working with veterans and first responders. Three, the wait list for PADS,  and other programs like it,  is so long that I would have to wait years to be matched with a dog. It's actually a myth that service dogs are "free." With the generosity of donors, some programs are able to place dogs at no cost to the recipient, but that doesn't mean they're free.  Due to my disability, I live on a fixed income, and I have very limited resources. which is why I need your help!

 My goal is to raise enough money to get the ball rolling as early as this summer, because there is currently an opening available in the program. I can't wait to have more freedom and independence!

Thank you for taking a few minutes to get to know me.  By my nature, it is very difficult for me to ask for help, and I don't take your support for granted. If you're able to contribute, awesome! From the bottom of my heart, I really appreciate it. Every little bit helps. Either way, please share my story widely! I could really use the momentum.

In love and gratitude,



Carter McGuigan