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My Story
My name is Gryffin. When I was sixteen, I had brain surgery and was told I might not live past thirty.
I’m thirty-seven now — disabled, still fighting — and using the life I have to help other disabled people build independence with well-trained service dogs.
Animals have been my anchor since childhood. I grew up training horses and helping friends with their dogs, and when my health collapsed, training was the one skill my body and brain could still manage. Over time, it became not just something I could do, but something I had to do — because disabled people need trainers who understand them, from the inside out.
Living with multiple disabilities means my energy is limited and unpredictable. Some days I can work. Some days I can barely get out of bed. Traditional employment is impossible. But helping disabled handlers and their dogs? That’s the one thing I can give the world consistently.
Over the past 13 years, I’ve trained my own Service Dogs and helped over 80 other teams. Even with my challenges, this work is where my expertise and lived experience actually matter. And there is a massive need for it.
The problem...
Worldwide, disabled people wait years for a Service Dog.
Some wait half a decade. Some wait longer. Some never get one at all.
This happens because:
- Organizations have long, overwhelmed waitlists
- Many regions have zero qualified trainers
- Dog trainers who want to help often don’t know where to start
- There are no clear, ethical, step-by-step standards teaching trainers how to do this safely
As a result:
- Disabled people stay isolated longer than necessary
- Trainers are afraid to “get it wrong”
- Good dogs never get the chance to serve
- That gap is where everything breaks down.
My solution:
I created a professional-level online program that teaches experienced dog trainers how to ethically and safely prepare service dog teams.
Trainers learn how to:
- evaluate dogs for temperament and suitability
- build strong public access behavior
- teach real service tasks for real disabilities
- support disabled clients safely and respectfully
- maintain dog welfare while meeting handler needs
One well-trained professional can support dozens of disabled handlers in their community.
This multiplies the impact exponentially.
A single trainer in a small town can change the lives of people who would otherwise have no help at all.
The first full version of the program is already launched — and it works.
Why I’m fundraising;
Now that the program exists, the next step is making it accessible worldwide, especially for disabled handlers and trainers in regions with no support.
Your contribution will help me:
- translate the course into multiple languages
- improve accessibility tools for disabled learners
- maintain the program platform (website, video hosting, scheduling, email systems)
- upgrade recording and production
- reach trainers who have been searching for guidance but didn’t know where to turn
- hiring help so I can reserve my limited physical energy for teaching, mentoring, and improving the curriculum
My goal is to raise €15,000 to expand this disability-led training program so more trainers worldwide can support disabled handlers safely and ethically.
Who this helps:
Disabled handlers
- safer, more independent daily life
- less confusion around training standards
- faster access to qualified support
Professional dog trainers
- a clear roadmap instead of piecing things together alone
- ethical guidance rooted in lived disability experience
- practical tools they can use immediately to help their communities
Dogs
- thoughtful selection
- humane, structured training
- meaningful work that changes someone’s life
Stories that stay with me...
- A woman in her forties with Dissociative Identity Disorder (formerly multiple personality disorder) who almost never left home. With her service dog, she went from isolation to dating, moving out on her own, and building a life she never thought possible.
- A young handler with a dog who barked, pulled, and fell apart in public. That dog is now calm, reliable, and confident — and people ask them for advice.
These stories aren’t magic. They’re the result of skilled trainers and well-supported teams. And I want more of them in the world.
How you can help
Donate any amount. Even $5 helps.
Share this fundraiser with dog lovers, trainers, or disability advocates.
Tag a trainer who might want to make a real difference in their community.
Thank you for reading my story and considering a gift.
Supporting this work means supporting disabled people, service dogs, and the trai
ners who bring them together.