Hello, my name is Lauren Covington. My daughter Ireland Covington was unfortunately involved in a senseless accident 2 years ago when she was 13 years old. Ireland was run over while riding her bike across the crosswalk and then drug 30 ft under the gentleman's trailer. Ireland never saw it coming because the contact point was at her pelvis area. Ireland sustained many life long injuries that will physically never leave her body physically. The worst life life injury Ireland sustained that day was a Severe Traumatic Brain Injury. Yes, that is the injury you hear our our veterans coming home from war with. Not 13 year old children sustaining from someone not paying attention while driving. Irelands Severe Traumatic Brain Injury is very complex and we have her in therapy, with psychiatrist, a whole team that follows her at children's medical center in Dallas. Unfortunately there isn't much known about adolescents with severe traumatic brain injuries. Her Psychiatrist and ABI (Acquired Brain Injury) team do feel its best for her to have a Psychiatric Service Dog. This is because Other mental disorders have begun to manifest like tree branches with the traumatic brain injury. these mental disorders have made Irelands life far more than complicated. Imagine going to school every single day and having not only audio hallucinations but also visual hallucinations. Imagine being terrified that someone behind you, or around you at any moment is going to hurt you. Imagine going to school, having a normal normal, and all of a sudden you are in a manic psychosis episode and you have absolutely no idea what is going on, or what just happened. These are things that a psychiatric service dog can help Ireland with. It can feel sighs of her disassociating and bring her back to reality. The service can can keep people at a safe distance from her when she is feel stressed, or overwhelmed by crowds. The service dog can calm her down when panic attacks begin.

With all that being said, Psychiatric Services Dogs are very expensive. The application fee alone is $75.00. Then to get on the waiting list is $500.00. I am wanting to go through Little Angels Service Dogs because they are one of the few programs that have psychiatric service dogs available to children. With all that being said, there is a very real possibility we will have to travel and spend at least a week with the service dog and the trainer. In total, We are looking at about $21,000. I know that is a lot of money but Ireland deserves a life that she can do normal things, like go to school, a grocery story a restaurant and it feel manageable and safe to her. If you can't donate, I totally understand. Please at least share