Lifeline for our daughter- service dog

Hello Im Sarah & i have been watching my daughters childhood be pulled away from her for almost 5 years now

We are raising funds to provide a life-changing service dog for our 11-year-old daughter, who has Level 3 Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) with a Pathological Demand Avoidance (PDA) profile. Living with PDA can make everyday life incredibly challenging, and a service dog would provide her with the support she desperately needs to navigate her world safely and confidently.

What is PDA?

Pathological Demand Avoidance is a complex profile of autism where anxiety drives an overwhelming need to avoid everyday demands, even those that are self-directed. PDA isn’t just about stubbornness; it’s about survival-level anxiety. For our daughter, PDA looks like:

Being unable to leave the house or get dressed 90% of the time due to fear and overwhelm.

Heightened nervous system responses, often leading to meltdowns or shutdowns when she feels trapped or overwhelmed.

Difficulty with any expectations or demands, no matter how small or seemingly simple such as dressing, eating, showering.

These simple demands will push her body to shut down & burnout these can last from several weeks to months.

These barriers have seen a huge decline in our daughters mental health with no support from our health system.

How Will a Service Dog Help?

A service dog trained specifically for her needs will:

Regulate her nervous system: Providing deep pressure therapy and a calming presence to help her feel safe in overwhelming situations including supporting her sensory processing so that she is able to tolerate clothing & other senses.

Block and protect her in moments of distress: The dog can physically stop her from harming herself or siblings when she’s overwhelmed or unsafe.

Alert others when she’s escalating: Helping us intervene early before she becomes completely dysregulated.

Encourage independence: A service dog will provide her with the confidence to take small steps toward things like leaving the house and engaging with the world.

A service dog is not just a pet—it’s a lifeline for our daughter and our family. These incredible dogs are highly trained to meet specific needs, but they are expensive to train and maintain. The cost for training and placement of a service dog is estimated for us close to $40,000, and unfortunately, this is not something we can afford on our own.

Why We Need Your Help

Our daughter’s struggles often keep her isolated, anxious, and unable to experience the simple joys of childhood.

Your support will go directly toward the cost of the service dog, including training, placement, and necessary equipment. Every donation—big or small—will bring us closer to helping her live a more independent and fulfilling life.

Thank you for your kindness & support