Hi, my name is Jeremy Logan. In 2013, I was in an accident while riding on a commuter shuttle bus and my life was forever changed. This accident left me with irreversible brain damage that causes me to have 24/7 headaches. As if the headaches are not debilitating enough, the damage also affects my balance and vision. All of these things together have left me grasping to maintain my freedom. There are many things that I have had to change in my life in order to adjust to these new conditions as well as many things I’ve had to give up all while trying to continue to live a life that brings me joy and happiness.

After the accident, while I was learning to navigate my balance and vision issues, I had a number of serious falls, including down the stairs of my apartment building. This was when I realized I needed help but I didn’t know where to turn. I spent several years researching different aids that might help me before discovering mobility assistance training for service dogs. Learning about these service dogs helped me to see there was a way for me to actually live my life again. After a seven-year search, I finally found the right kind of service dog that could help bring me the independence I so desperately craved. Before learning this info, I feared that my life would forever be homebound.

Four years ago, Darth Bane, my current mobility animal, came into my life and changed everything! He allowed me to feel safe going out again because I didn’t have to worry about falling and hurting myself further. I can now go grocery shopping on my own, I can meet friends and not feel isolated, and I can live a life that is beyond the walls of my apartment. A service dog is so much more than that. The mental health benefits that independence brings are extraordinary and cannot be understated. My service dog provides both these physical and mental supports.

Now 6 years old, Darth Bane is nearing his time to retire. As a giant breed, his life expectancy is 6-10 years. A giant breed dog cannot be trained to do mobility brace and balance tasks until they have finished growing, which is about 24 months. By this time Bane will be at least 8 years old and nearing the end of his working life. For this reason, training a new service dog needs to be planned many years in advance, before the current dog is physically unable to continue safely working. Replacing Bane is not an easy decision but is a necessary one for his comfort and my safety and independence. Between the highly specialized training and very specific requirements a dog must meet in order to safely execute the tasks they are trained to do, these costs can quickly exceed $30,000-$50,000.

That is why I am asking for help. Insurance does not cover service animals. Non-profits do offer assistance but I do not meet their requirements due to the nature of my disability. Many times these requirements are based on specific health conditions. In addition, many non-profits focus on the specific types of tasks service animals perform. The nature of my disability means that the type of task that I need performed limits the available aid.

The first time I searched for a service animal, I spent 7 years researching dog breeds and the training that I required. Now that I have more knowledge and resources I am hoping the search for this new dog will take less time, but there are still high costs involved. As you can imagine, this disability has hindered my ability to work so my personal contributions are limited. That’s where I’m hoping all of you can come in. Any help you can provide is appreciated more than you can possibly imagine. Your contribution will go towards the training of a mobility assistance service dog. THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH!!!