Service dog for Laura Anne Wade

Hi my name is Sherri Kennedy and I am fund raising to help a dear friend of mine, Laura Davis, get a support/service dog for assistance!

Laura had a partial spinal injury in July of 2018 that has left her right foot mainly useless with right leg weakness. She has been out of work for over 2 years. She is unable to walk without assistance of a cane and brace. Laura has had four major and two minor back surgeries along with several other procedures including an implanted spinal pump. Her body cannot regulate her blood pressure which causes her to faint, this has lead to at least one fall per week.

Laura has had to be dependent on others in order to leave her house and to do small task around her home. I feel this service dog will help Laura tremendously and help with regaining some of her independence. The dog is trained to pick up things, carry things, press elevator buttons, turn lights on and off and lean into Laura if she is falling.

Laura has researched many service animals and has chosen a particular type of Goldie that do extremely well as service animals and are protective of their parent. And from very reputable breeders. Most English Cream Goldie's cost from $4500-$15,000. Laura has been in contact with a National training group that has a trainer in Tallahassee to train the dog starting with in home sessions for 8 weeks then the dog will go to live with the trainer for six weeks when he is five months old then back to Laura for in home sessions to teach them how to work together.

A deposit has been placed on a golden retriever puppy that will be born in January in Pensacola.

The dog costs $3000 not including travel to Pensacola over night (Laura is not able to make the drive there and back in the same day).

The training is an additional $3000 plus the fees of getting her home and car set up to be ready for a dog that will be with Laura 24/7.

After calculating vet visits, home needs, food to get started, service vests and National registration, akc registration (dog has to be registered to be a service animal). To be prepared for the first year with paying for everything is close to $15,000. This is an expense but most groups that provide service animals say it costs $20-30’000 and they have 2-5 years waitlists if you are chosen at all.

Most importantly, this will be wonderful for Laura to regain some of her independence and hopefully get her out and lift her spirits.