- A
- R
From simple things like stairs to curbs, to big things like cars and fires, she's saved me from them all. She's given me life...
It's very difficult for me to ask for help - especially in a forum as vast and public as this! There's only one thing that would give me enough boldness to do so - my Guide Dog, my Hero, Zoe. For the past 8 and a half years she's been my companion, my best friend, and most importantly, my eyes. My name is Julia. I'm a 44 year old woman, legally blind since birth. And the dog in the picture is my Zoe.
Zoe's name in Greek means "life". Her foster parents had the privilege of naming her that. They had no idea just how much life she has brought me. If you would, please read for just a moment about how she truly has become a Hero...
Like I said, I've been legally blind since birth. But nine years ago, with sight declining, I refused to acknowledge that I needed more help than the cane could give. And then reality hit - hard. I was involved in a horrible accident that has left my back damaged beyond repair, my ankle requiring reconstruction, and both my knees needing replacing. After 6 months of intensive and gruelling physiotherapy I reached out for help- and into my life came Zoe.
Through training and hard work we've formed an inseperable bond. Since I've had her she's served me with every ounce of her being - her love, and her life. We've traveled by air twice to a foreign and through parts of our home, Canada. I've not fallen off of any curbs, down flights of stairs, or accidentally crossed the street against traffic. She gave me life by giving me my independent life back. There's so many more stories I could tell of how amazing and wonderful she is...but there just isn't time here...except for this...why I call her a "Hero"...
In the 8+ years I've had her Zoe has saved my life from being hit by a car 6 times that I am aware of (she's also steered me from the path of cyclists, city work vehicles and more). On 5 of those 6 occasions Zoe angled her body in front of mine in such a way that had we been hit she would have been hit, and undoubtedly killed, first. The one time that always comes to mind, and still brings tears to my eyes, happened 2 years ago. We were crossing at a very busy corner, waiting for the light to change. When it was our turn to cross I waited to ensure that it was safe and stepped out. One thing to note here - Zoe was not in harness and working - we were just out having a 'be a dog' walk, me using my cane. As we stepped about four steps onto the crosswalk a car came flying around the corner out of nowhere. Zoe instantly stopped me angled her body in front of mine. The car was so close I could feel it brush her fur and my arm as they blew past us. I checked her out as soon as we were back on the sidewalk and thankfully she had not been hurt - but Zoe's instinctual training, and love for me, caused her to chose to save me in spite of the fact that she was not officially working!
Then there's been the fires...Over the past 3 years we've had 2 actual fires in my apartment building, one big, one small. In both, there were fire alarms shrieking and reverberating in the stairwells hurting her ears. There was smoke and fumes and chaos in the stairwells. There were firemen and trucks and sirens...And yet through it all she stayed faithfully by my side, guiding me down the stairs and outside. Both times I could literally feel her body violently shaking as she struggled not to give in to fear and panic due to the situation...and both times she overcame and led me down 6 flights of stairs through the smoke and fumes, noise and chaos, to safety outside.
That's dedication, committment, and selfless heroism. Over and over I've seen her literally be willing to give her life to give me mine. She is not just "my" hero, she truly is a Hero.
Sadly for me, on August 1st of this year (2016) Zoe was honorably retired from guiding, and this week on November 17th she will turn 10. It has been an incredibly difficult transition for both of us. While I have the option of re-homing her and getting another dog right away I've chosen to keep her and to walk with her to the very end. I cannot imagine passing her on simply because she is no longer "useful". For a dog who has given her very life to give me mine, the least I can do is walk with her to the end of hers, and make it as easy and joy filled as I can. I could no more cut off my own arm and give it away than I could her.
While working Zoe received a small allowance from the Disability pension that I am now on (my sight and physical body cannot sustain a "regular job, though I do a great deal of volunteer work). Upon retirement that allowance ceased. Though the majority of that allowance was needed to meet her daily needs, I do have a small reserve left for her care in the years to come. But reality has again hit hard, for it is not going to be enough.
After having given so much of her life to me, my utmost desire is to give Zoe the happiest, healthiest, best retirement I have. If you are perhaps questioning the amount of my fund it is because of this...In spite of being 10 Zoe is an extremely healthy dog; my vet says she could live to 14 or perhaps even longer. I want to be able to give her the type of retirement a Hero deserves.
Zoe's name exemplifies her. She is life! Every day she wakes up with a wagging tail, happy and eagerly anticipating the day. She is full of joy and brings happiness to all around her. On walks she will literally pull me over to people we don't know to say hello, and more than one person has said to me; 'You know I dno't normally like dogs but she has brought exactly what I needed to me today. She is so full of happiness. Thank you for saying hello'. Her sixth sense for bringing me life has brought it to many others around us.
By your helping me to help her we can give her the Hero's retirement she deserves! Your support will supplement my reserves to help pay predominantly for veterinary expenses and care, that are only growing as she ages, medications that she has begun to need for arthritis, inflammation and pain (and there are more to come), bloodwork that comes with these medications to ensure her liver and kidneys continue to funciton well (3 to 4 times a year) and dental care. Your support may also be used to purchase larger items like a new bed in a year or two to support her arthritis, extra grooming to care for her skin and feet, amd much, much more. Funds are needed right away to help supplement that reserves I have for veterinary care that is coming up in the very near future.
Imagine if you had a relationship with your dog as I do - being together 24/7, 365 days a year for 8 years. Then imagine knowing that you owe your very life to her, yet you realize the saving you have done will not give her the "golden" years that this special dog deserves. Then imagine that someone offered to come alongside you and walk with you and that dog by supporting you to meet her needs. Imagine the gratitude you would have. That is the gratitude I have for you! And I promise to regularly update our fund page with stories and photos of the joy that living with her on a daily basis brings.
I do not have words to tell you how thankful and grateful I am to you. To spend the last year of my girls life with her, giving her that Hero's retirement is a gift that means more to me that I can express. She has given her life for me, I am so thankful to be able to give "life" back to her as we walk together and I now guide her.
(Please know any extra funds at the end of Zoe's life will be donated in part back to the school Zoe was raised from. The rest will be used for the care of the next Guide Dog I will have).
It's very difficult for me to ask for help - especially in a forum as vast and public as this! There's only one thing that would give me enough boldness to do so - my Guide Dog, my Hero, Zoe. For the past 8 and a half years she's been my companion, my best friend, and most importantly, my eyes. My name is Julia. I'm a 44 year old woman, legally blind since birth. And the dog in the picture is my Zoe.
Zoe's name in Greek means "life". Her foster parents had the privilege of naming her that. They had no idea just how much life she has brought me. If you would, please read for just a moment about how she truly has become a Hero...
Like I said, I've been legally blind since birth. But nine years ago, with sight declining, I refused to acknowledge that I needed more help than the cane could give. And then reality hit - hard. I was involved in a horrible accident that has left my back damaged beyond repair, my ankle requiring reconstruction, and both my knees needing replacing. After 6 months of intensive and gruelling physiotherapy I reached out for help- and into my life came Zoe.
Through training and hard work we've formed an inseperable bond. Since I've had her she's served me with every ounce of her being - her love, and her life. We've traveled by air twice to a foreign and through parts of our home, Canada. I've not fallen off of any curbs, down flights of stairs, or accidentally crossed the street against traffic. She gave me life by giving me my independent life back. There's so many more stories I could tell of how amazing and wonderful she is...but there just isn't time here...except for this...why I call her a "Hero"...
In the 8+ years I've had her Zoe has saved my life from being hit by a car 6 times that I am aware of (she's also steered me from the path of cyclists, city work vehicles and more). On 5 of those 6 occasions Zoe angled her body in front of mine in such a way that had we been hit she would have been hit, and undoubtedly killed, first. The one time that always comes to mind, and still brings tears to my eyes, happened 2 years ago. We were crossing at a very busy corner, waiting for the light to change. When it was our turn to cross I waited to ensure that it was safe and stepped out. One thing to note here - Zoe was not in harness and working - we were just out having a 'be a dog' walk, me using my cane. As we stepped about four steps onto the crosswalk a car came flying around the corner out of nowhere. Zoe instantly stopped me angled her body in front of mine. The car was so close I could feel it brush her fur and my arm as they blew past us. I checked her out as soon as we were back on the sidewalk and thankfully she had not been hurt - but Zoe's instinctual training, and love for me, caused her to chose to save me in spite of the fact that she was not officially working!
Then there's been the fires...Over the past 3 years we've had 2 actual fires in my apartment building, one big, one small. In both, there were fire alarms shrieking and reverberating in the stairwells hurting her ears. There was smoke and fumes and chaos in the stairwells. There were firemen and trucks and sirens...And yet through it all she stayed faithfully by my side, guiding me down the stairs and outside. Both times I could literally feel her body violently shaking as she struggled not to give in to fear and panic due to the situation...and both times she overcame and led me down 6 flights of stairs through the smoke and fumes, noise and chaos, to safety outside.
That's dedication, committment, and selfless heroism. Over and over I've seen her literally be willing to give her life to give me mine. She is not just "my" hero, she truly is a Hero.
Sadly for me, on August 1st of this year (2016) Zoe was honorably retired from guiding, and this week on November 17th she will turn 10. It has been an incredibly difficult transition for both of us. While I have the option of re-homing her and getting another dog right away I've chosen to keep her and to walk with her to the very end. I cannot imagine passing her on simply because she is no longer "useful". For a dog who has given her very life to give me mine, the least I can do is walk with her to the end of hers, and make it as easy and joy filled as I can. I could no more cut off my own arm and give it away than I could her.
While working Zoe received a small allowance from the Disability pension that I am now on (my sight and physical body cannot sustain a "regular job, though I do a great deal of volunteer work). Upon retirement that allowance ceased. Though the majority of that allowance was needed to meet her daily needs, I do have a small reserve left for her care in the years to come. But reality has again hit hard, for it is not going to be enough.
After having given so much of her life to me, my utmost desire is to give Zoe the happiest, healthiest, best retirement I have. If you are perhaps questioning the amount of my fund it is because of this...In spite of being 10 Zoe is an extremely healthy dog; my vet says she could live to 14 or perhaps even longer. I want to be able to give her the type of retirement a Hero deserves.
Zoe's name exemplifies her. She is life! Every day she wakes up with a wagging tail, happy and eagerly anticipating the day. She is full of joy and brings happiness to all around her. On walks she will literally pull me over to people we don't know to say hello, and more than one person has said to me; 'You know I dno't normally like dogs but she has brought exactly what I needed to me today. She is so full of happiness. Thank you for saying hello'. Her sixth sense for bringing me life has brought it to many others around us.
By your helping me to help her we can give her the Hero's retirement she deserves! Your support will supplement my reserves to help pay predominantly for veterinary expenses and care, that are only growing as she ages, medications that she has begun to need for arthritis, inflammation and pain (and there are more to come), bloodwork that comes with these medications to ensure her liver and kidneys continue to funciton well (3 to 4 times a year) and dental care. Your support may also be used to purchase larger items like a new bed in a year or two to support her arthritis, extra grooming to care for her skin and feet, amd much, much more. Funds are needed right away to help supplement that reserves I have for veterinary care that is coming up in the very near future.
Imagine if you had a relationship with your dog as I do - being together 24/7, 365 days a year for 8 years. Then imagine knowing that you owe your very life to her, yet you realize the saving you have done will not give her the "golden" years that this special dog deserves. Then imagine that someone offered to come alongside you and walk with you and that dog by supporting you to meet her needs. Imagine the gratitude you would have. That is the gratitude I have for you! And I promise to regularly update our fund page with stories and photos of the joy that living with her on a daily basis brings.
I do not have words to tell you how thankful and grateful I am to you. To spend the last year of my girls life with her, giving her that Hero's retirement is a gift that means more to me that I can express. She has given her life for me, I am so thankful to be able to give "life" back to her as we walk together and I now guide her.
(Please know any extra funds at the end of Zoe's life will be donated in part back to the school Zoe was raised from. The rest will be used for the care of the next Guide Dog I will have).