Cleny Clendenin

My husband Swen suffered severe head trauma in his 20s after a fall from a building, He was resuscitated, but the experience left him with lasting challenges. His head was partially caved in and he lost vision in his right eye. But his hardest challenge has been with emotional regulation. Swen's doctor said that Swen qualified for a service animal but, considering the expense, we said we could train one for him and settled on getting him an ESA. We were scheduled to get a puppy in February 2020 when we heard of a 16 month old rottweiler who needed our help. It took additional time to train Bear as he was unruly and 150 lbs when we got him. Different families had tried and failed. He was out of options, he wouldn't have made it 24 hrs in the pound. It took a year and he truely trusted us implicitly and another year for us to complete his training. Two years later he left us. Bear brought Swen a sense of inner peace that was profound to witness. Bear was Swen’s constant companion, helping him through sleepless nights and difficult days. When Swen would wake up in the middle of the night, Bear was always there to comfort him, helping him settle and find rest again. Sadly, we lost Bear to osteosarcoma cancer. The loss has been devastating for Swen. Swen already has a name picked out for his next companion, and while I wondered if it was too soon, I now see how much he truly needs this support. Bear was VERY expensive to care for due to his medical issues and we are still recovering from those costs. For that reason we want to find a new rottweiler with a healthy lineage to avoid the heartbreak of medical issues and early death, but we simply can’t afford it on our own without some help. An ESA would mean everything to Swen and I. It would bring hope, calming stability, and the chance for Swen to smile and sleep peacefully again. We are asking for your help to make this possible. Your support would mean the world to us and help bring light back into Swen’s life. We are saving for his new ESA and will update the amount needed. Bear was a wonderful companion. Unfortunately, he had expensive health issues over the years we had him that were very draining. Every little bit helps. Thank you.