I am Debbie and my best friend and Service Dog, is Sadie Marie. When we got Sadie, she was from a Musher's sled lot; we were going to eventually start a dog team. Then I became disabled at a faster rate than I should have and Sadie Marie SHOWED ME SHE WANTED TO HELP! So I began her training. She was extremely easy to teach and is sometimes a little too smart. (We have our days when we fight over who is going to be Alpha, but that comes from her being Alpha on the days she has to really take care charge. Living in Fairbanks Alaska has caused many problems for Sadie and I.
To understand this, DOGS are used for travel and recreation. In January of 1998, Bill 170, written by Representative Thomas Brice past, this law actually prevents ANYONE from having a Service Animal in the State of Alaska. He wrote a bill containing requirements that do not exist or make sense. His response was, challenge him in a court of law to have it changed. I have been arrested so many times, I have lost count. There are never charges filed, but I am hassled, physically pushed around and treated rudely. I am not the only one this happens to. One day (when the Federal Government finally does their investigations) it will become common knowledge just what has been going on to those of us with Service Animals. After passing out 47,000 ADA books: this total includes five ADA Publications; Doris Days Animal League Book Best Friends For Life; Your Right To Animals in No Pet Housing and the Delta Society Catalog Be a Part of Our Amazing World.
It has made a major difference for those who were not aware of the help available to them through the aide of animals. Unfortunately, the critical, rude and at times violent people will not try to understand the blessing of a Service Animal. A car that continued on, hit Sadie, so I did not know where she was hurt. It was a trip to the vet in the middle of night. (We did find the car the next day it had a perfect Sadie body on the hood.) After many tests, she was fine.
Two years later, one of her canine teeth started to turn purple, the only explanation was from being hit by that car. If she had the tooth pulled, she could not retrieve for me, so she had a root canal and now has a silver canine tooth. When people see this, it is obvious the cost was a hardship for someone on Social Security.
The care, expense and continued training of a Service Animal seems to sink in and they become more interested in the uses of animals, than in the anger at having MY PET with me. Sadie was my pet, soon to be a sled dog. Then I had the need for her as a THERAPEUTIC ANIMAL My disability continued to worsen and I needed her for companionship and helping me walk. I am now training her to assist me in my wheelchair. I hope no one is watching or worse yet, filming it for the Funniest Videos. But, we are making headway quickly. She did come from a Mushes' lot, born with the instinct to pull sleds.
I just have to train her to slow down, WAY DOWN! She knows her way around the hospital (very small) and when I first got in the chair and told her to pull she RAN down halls, around corners what a ride. Thankfully she knew where she was going and not just running around wild! I wish I had the space and time to tell you more, since she is such an important part of my life. There isn't a minute I am not thankful for her being there for me.
God Bless all of you who are supporting, using, training and spreading the word of one of the greatest gifts we have been given: ANIMALS THAT WORK MIRACLES. No matter what we all have to do to or what we have to put up with because we have Service Animals,
KEEP YOUR SPIRITS UP AND HOLD YOUR ANIMALS OFTEN, AND TO REMIND YOURSELF OF THE FURRY BUNDLE OF LOVE AND CARE YOU ARE HOLDING.
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