Hi everyone,

I hate that I have to write this at all and kinda feel weird asking for help this way, but I don’t think I can move past this by myself.

Most who see this will know me and my story, but I want to introduce myself for those that don’t. My name is Sam, I’m 25 and I live in Morro Bay with my partner Matt and my service dog Winnie. I am legally blind, have cerebral palsy, and have been recently officially diagnosed with a condition called hyperadrenergic postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. H-POTS causes my heart rate and blood pressure to go up to dangerous levels when I first stand and am upright for an extended period of time. It causes symptoms like shortness of breath, disorientation, a feeling of panic, and if I’m not careful, I can faint. This, in combination with my vision loss and the nerve damage in my legs, makes it very hard to tell where my body is in space since I can’t really feel the ground. I have a very hard time walking by myself and fall quite often if I don’t have help, so we got Winnie to train her as a service dog to give me more independence and confidence.

She is a very well-trained dog and she has helped me immensely as a companion by my side, but what really helps me is the harness she wears when she is on duty as my service dog. Mobility dog harnesses have specialized handles that, when fitted properly to the dog and the handler, provide a type of feedback that allows the handler to feel the ground through the counterweight and motion of their dog, which greatly improves gait and balance.

Our harness and vest were unfortunately stolen last night and after going to the police department, harbor patrol, and checking nearby cameras with no luck, I have come to terms that I will not be getting them back so I am in the process of ordering new equipment. After doing research, I’ve decided to go with a company that is much more reputable than who I worked with before. The material is genuine leather, they are more custom to the dog’s measurements which makes it more ergonomic and safer for the dog to support the handler, and it has a lifetime warranty. The cover photo is an example of what the harness look like on a Winnie doppelgänger.

Without a mobility harness, I can’t bring Winnie out with me because her tasks that make her a service dog come from her harness, so I’m hoping I will find a way to order something new soon so that we can put this whole thing past without Winnie’s training or my health faltering. Any help in helping me reach this goal would mean the world to me.

Thank You!