Help Lori Katz get new Service Dog

FEB. 27th UPDATE


Dear friends, supporters, mentors, clients, and advocates:

THANKS to all who have helped me raise aver $1, 800 in less than two weeks both through  Go Fund Me and individual donations given directly to me.  I'm in the final stretch leading toward getting  my trained Service Dog, Winston, on March 1st! I'm confident that by your spreadding the word to friends, employers, and business associates as well as veterinarians, we can meet our goal.  I'll also be speaking at the Aptos Grange meeting and the Lions Club in the coming weeks.

 Getting Winston has been my number one priority despite personal setbacks.  I had a bad car accident on February 18th and am relying my dog training assistant, Meghan, to drive me to pick Winston up in Vacaville on Sunday.  I need the dog more than ever as I was almost hospitalized in the last couple of weeks.  I have an amazing team of friends supporting me and now I have donors I haven't met, but whom I would relish the opportunity to meet.  Please feel free to reach out to me and join in on a birthday party for me/welcome home party for Winston on March 19 at 6 in Corralitos.  Friendly dogs are welcome and there will be vegan and gluten freen options.


My fundraising campaign will continue until I reach my goal so I  humbly as for your help in continuing to spread the word in your communities.  A donation of even $25 makes a big difference.  I'm also happy to provide dog training services for donations.  I offer both private and group training in the setting of your choosing.   We have 4 openings in the Family Dog I/II starting on Sat., March 7 at 11 in Aptos  and 3 openings in my new Surf and Turf  Course (on and off leash) starting at Sunday May 3 at 9 am on Sunday mornings.  Our first meeting will be at Rio del Mar Beach. For the Surf and Turf course schedule, we'll skip for Memorial Day(5/31)  and for a the Spring Dog Festival(5/18). Also, stay tuned for some scent detection games coming soon for all of our dogs to use their awesome sniffers and have a blast doing the activities.

I can't wait to see Winston on the beach and would love it if you join us  on an outing to Seacape Beach next Sunday, March 8 at 9am.  We'll gather at the entance to the public access trail in the parking lot just beyond the fancy Seascape Resort enterance. Don't hesitate to ask for further directions.  If you would kindly RSVP, we'll be sure to wait for you before heading down to the beach.  I'll carry some water and a bowl for the dogs.


ORIGINAL REQUEST for FUNDS:


As most of you know, my late Cattle Dog, Maggie, died over a year and a half ago.  I trained her to be my Psychiatric Service dog despite her predatory aggression which meant I had to stay vigilant all the time.  She made me into a great trainer but she was a highly taxing project.  I have been without a canine partner for too long a time and my health has suffered dramatic setbacks.  With your help in bringing my new dog Winston, who has been specifically trained for me, into my life, I could have a Medical Alert Service Dog again, improving my daily living and my ability to work more and cope better with a positive outlook. These last months without Maggie have been the darkest of my life.

For those who don't know me well, I've had medication resistant bipolar disorder since I was 18 years old.  My symptoms resolved to a degree when I started training Maggie in 2001 and subsequently became a dog trainer working with people and their pet  dogs. I helped train Psychiatric Service Dogs and Santa Cruz County Animal Shelter volunteers, and ran a Junior Dog Trainers Academy in the summers. So I have been active in giving back to the community, also with a program teaching at-risk youth to help shelter dogs become family pets and a program promoting spay/neuter and non-violent pit bull competitions.

Just to give you a picture of how a Service Dog would help me, here are some of the tasks my Service Dog, Winston, has been trained to perform:
·      Interupting the cycle of anxiety or rumination,

·      Signal Alert such as a nudge for attention to facilitate my being able to excuse myself from the room when hypomanic and having trouble focusing or experiencing emotional overload in any mood state,

·      Assist with motivation to go for long walks for exercise,

·      Assist with social interaction,

·      Assist with waking or rousing if dealing with sedation from medication,

·      Alert to need for meals,

·      Companionship- not only would I enjoy life more, the companionship could mitigate some of the symptoms of my disability, helping me cope, be more productive, and be more independent.

I need to raise $6,500 to cover the cost of this dog.  I have already raised $2400.
Please consider helping with a donation of whatever amount you can afford comfortably.
Don't hesitate to call, text, or email questions and thanks so much in advance for considering this request.

Warm regards to you and your pack,

Lori Katz
(831)685-DOGS
[email redacted]