Ryver's Retirement Fund
Donation protected
Ryver (pronounced "river") has been my service dog for 7 years. He will be 9 years old on October 6, 2017. My goal for Ryver is that he will be able to retire when he is 10 years old and become my pet. In order for that to happen, I need to raise $15,000 to bring his successor dog home. I have a good job as a pharmacist, but a lot of medical expenses and student loan debt. We need your help.
Ryver is my mobility assistance dog. I have Osteogenesis Imperfecta, also known as Brittle Bone Disease. I am only 3 feet tall and do not walk well. I get around mainly with a power wheelchair and sometimes with a forearm crutch. Ryver is always with me. He's flown on planes, ridden on trains and attended the Creation Entertainment Salute to Supernatural in Chicago 7 times.
He sleeps in my bed, attends concerts, has his own FaceBook fan page and comes to work with me at Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy every day.
Ryver was trained by Lori Grigg of Paradise Dog Training . Lori is currently in the process of looking for Ryver's successor.
Ryver is trained to do the following tasks:
- Provide stability while I am walking
- Brace for me when I am unsteady
- Retrieve objects I have dropped
- Take steps up/down one step at a time to support me
- Pull my manual wheelchair
- Pull open exterior doors
- Pull open certain doors of our house
- Push electronic push-plates to open doors
- Put his front feet on counters to pass something to a clerk or get attention when they can't see me
Ryver's successor will be trained to perform the same tasks as well as a few additional tasks that I foresee needing in the future as my mobility has declined.
Ryver is my best friend. In a perfect world, he would live forever. The thought of a new dog coming to work with me every day is difficult to fathom. But procrastinating in taking these steps is not fair to Ryver. He deserves to spend his "golden" years in the yard whenever he wants and not following me around everywhere. Ryver is actually my second service dog and it was wonderful to see my first dog, Sunny, enjoy the last few years of his life without a care in the world.
If you are able, I appreciate your help in raising money for Ryver, and for me.
Thank you!
- Val and Ryver
Ryver is my mobility assistance dog. I have Osteogenesis Imperfecta, also known as Brittle Bone Disease. I am only 3 feet tall and do not walk well. I get around mainly with a power wheelchair and sometimes with a forearm crutch. Ryver is always with me. He's flown on planes, ridden on trains and attended the Creation Entertainment Salute to Supernatural in Chicago 7 times.
He sleeps in my bed, attends concerts, has his own FaceBook fan page and comes to work with me at Diplomat Specialty Pharmacy every day.
Ryver was trained by Lori Grigg of Paradise Dog Training . Lori is currently in the process of looking for Ryver's successor.
Ryver is trained to do the following tasks:
- Provide stability while I am walking
- Brace for me when I am unsteady
- Retrieve objects I have dropped
- Take steps up/down one step at a time to support me
- Pull my manual wheelchair
- Pull open exterior doors
- Pull open certain doors of our house
- Push electronic push-plates to open doors
- Put his front feet on counters to pass something to a clerk or get attention when they can't see me
Ryver's successor will be trained to perform the same tasks as well as a few additional tasks that I foresee needing in the future as my mobility has declined.
Ryver is my best friend. In a perfect world, he would live forever. The thought of a new dog coming to work with me every day is difficult to fathom. But procrastinating in taking these steps is not fair to Ryver. He deserves to spend his "golden" years in the yard whenever he wants and not following me around everywhere. Ryver is actually my second service dog and it was wonderful to see my first dog, Sunny, enjoy the last few years of his life without a care in the world.
If you are able, I appreciate your help in raising money for Ryver, and for me.
Thank you!
- Val and Ryver
Organizer
Valarie Franklin
Organizer
Davison, MI
