Help Aziraphale find his wings as a service dog.

This is Aziraphale, named for the angel in the TV series and book called Good Omens. At the time of creating this, he is 5 and a half months old, fast approaching the age where it’s critical to start his service dog training. Now, Aziraphale is the perfect candidate to be my next service dog since he is my current dog’s nephew. He was bred for the work. He’s gorgeous and wants to work so badly. But I don’t qualify for service dog programs. Believe me, I’ve applied to so many.

A bit about myself now. I’m 44 years old and I am disabled with PTSD from several traumatic events and also with POTS, which is a heart condition where my heart rate goes too high and I can pass out. I used to be a veterinary technician and I loved my job so much. But my PTSD got so bad in 2011, I couldn’t leave my room without having a panic attack or even having flashbacks when I was in public. In 2014, my life changed drastically because I got my first service dog, Thor, as a puppy and did self-training. This meant I took him to a trainer at 6 months old and he stayed with them for a month as he learned the things he’d need to be my PTSD service dog (I hadn’t had issues with POTS at that point). It wasn’t too bad at $800.

So when I noticed Thor, age 11, starting to struggle to jump into the car or get up on slippery floors, I decided that he deserved to retire because of the many amazing things he’s done for me and others. Truly a lifesaver in every way and my hero. So I started a fundraiser for a new puppy. And I got so much help, more than I deserved. It covered Aziraphale’s cost and vet bills when Thor got injured and could not use his back leg. Unfortunately this forced Thor into retirement and I am not doing well. 

But now we’ve come to the critical juncture where Aziraphale needs training I can’t do. And what was $800 11 years ago is $2,700 at the bare minimum. At this point, I’m absolutely crushed because it was the last hurdle we needed to get over so Aziraphale could be my service dog. I’ve been struggling so much and feel so broken. And I wish I could just go get a loan or something, anything, because I know how lifesaving Aziraphale would be for me, but it’s not an option.

So here I am again, tears running down my face, begging for help I don’t think I deserve but at the same time, I want to live. I want to go to children’s hospitals with Aziraphale like I did with Thor. I want to go to the nursing home down the street and visit them. I want to be able to go shopping without panicking and abandoning my cart and running to the car and going home. I want to not scream every time it thunders or there’s a loud noise. I want to maybe find some way to be useful to society again.

Please, help us.