A Service Dog for Jessica

Hello! Thank you for taking an interest in my story. Two years ago, I was assaulted while working at a Federal Women's Prison and spent three months in the hospital following a head injury. I now live with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, and have difficulty navigating daily life. In order to complete my education and continue working in the human services field, I will need the support of a service dog.

A service dog will initially cost $9000 to purchase and train. Other expenses such as veterinarian and insurance will reach a total of over $30,000 across the lifetime of the dog. The costs are comparable to purchasing a brand-new car!

Though there are non-profit organizations that provide PTSD Service Dogs to veterans and other people in need, the wait-list is a minimum of 2 years long AFTER approval. A dog would not be available for at least 2.5 years, and would then require further training. Unfortunately I do not have 3 years to wait. I have to start making progress as soon as possible so that I can go back to work within the next year and a half.

I will be working with Canine Support Services to train a puppy that will be coming home in mid-February, 2018. (Stay tuned for puppies!!!) Any donation would make a difference, including puppy and dog-related items such as a large crate, dog bed, grooming tools, puppy training pads, chew toys, poop bags, etc. 

Anything you can do to help would be greatly appreciated, including simply sharing the campaign within your network and spreading the word. Every little bit helps! 

If you have any questions, please feel free to send me a message. Thank you for reading, and we wish you a happy and healthful 2018!