Are service dogs REALLY that expensive?

Many people's mouths just drop when I tell them Sybil cost $11,000. They don't understand how a dog can be so expensive, until you actually spell it all out.

I'll start by reminding you that Sammy is autistic, epileptic, intellectually disabled, and has a genetic abnormality as well as a brain malformation. Sybil is not a pet, she is a working dog that will be with us as long as we need her. Our goal is to be in a different place so that when she is ready to retire, we will be able to keep her as well as a new service dog.  But that is YEARS down the line.

Sybil will come to us at 14 months of age. Consider first that it means 14 months of boarding and vet care, including spaying. It also includes her flight from her breeder, Sandy with Sho-Me Labradors of St. James, Missouri to the trainer Jason at Canines 4 Hope in Palm City, Florida. We specifically looked for a Florida-based trainer because we didn't want to have to travel with Sammy (who shouldn't fly).  We also wanted someone close enough that was a day trip for us.

Sure you can rescue a dog from the shelter and train them commands, but truth is they still have an unknown history. Service dogs are chosen from puppyhood based on their nature and ability to follow commands. It also requires them to be able to ignore distractions from people (petting, calling, staring) or other animals (cats, dogs, squirrels).

Sybil will have had a few months of basic training with Sandy, including manners. She will soon be flying to Palm City to begin four full months of intense training with Jason.  We'll go and visit her for training. I'm actually grateful things were a bit delayed so we'll have some holiday breaks to go down and see her overnight.

Canines 4 Hope is at the lower end of cost. Many organizations require you (as the family) to fund-raise $14,000 or more and there's a serious wait list for those "free" dogs.

We have secured more than half of Sybil's cost via private donations and selling "A Friend For Sammy" bracelets which have been sent all over the country. We also secured two grants from epilepsy foundations.

Many organizations aren't equipped to dual train a dog for someone like Sammy. Some won't take children at all, and some have strict guidelines and deadlines for acceptance. I had a lot of friends helping research different places, but ultimately, I'd dig in and find something that bothered me in the FAQ or the actual application. Even today, I found an organization that states "XYZ maintains ownership of the dog"  I have a HUGE problem with that.

Jason understands what we go through as parents, he has a son with epilepsy as well. This was a huge factor in our decision. We were working with a PERSON, not an organization.

He also understood our timeline for Sammy. When we first met with Jason in June, I had already had four in-patient chemo sessions and Sammy had been hospitalized twice for uncontrolled seizures. Fund-raising in the traditional sense wasn't going to happen.

Yes, service dogs are really that expensive.  And given Sybil can do so many things for Sammy at home, school and out in public, I think she's worth it.

If Sammy wasn't living it........

I wouldn't believe it.  My dad, Sammy's beloved Papa, died in October 2013. It was hard on everyone and I'm grateful that I took the boys back to Michigan to see him in July.

Four months later things sort of hit the fan. I'm serious when I tell you I think friends and strangers sit back and say, "I call bullshit. All this can't happen to one person."  I assure you it has and can show you my EOB's from health insurance, photos from hospitalizations and the bills that continue to pile up.

Here's a time line

• Feb 13: I had a biopsy
• Feb 19: Sammy had his first gran mal seizure EVER
• Feb 25: I received my diagnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma and had a CT scan
• Feb 28: I met the oncologist and scheduled surgery
• Mar 3: complete hysterectomy and oophorectomy 
• Mar 24: Sammy had his second gran mal seizure
• Mar 31: I had a smart port placed in my chest

All hell broke loose after that. From my first chemo session on April 14th to my last on September 29th, Sammy and I had seven hospitalizations between us (plus one more for me after that last session).  The most interesting was on April 18th, yes Good Friday. We were calling EMS for I think the 3rd or 4th time because SAmmy's seizures wouldn't stop. They get Sammy downstairs, I follow telling the responders that I had just been discharged two days prior. 

I became very warm and very nauseous in the back of the ambulance and tried to get out. They let me sit down.....next thing I know I am sitting with an EMT right behind me with her knees buried under my arms. I'd passed out. They transported both of us in the same ambulance. I was lucky to not have shown anything other than stress in my testing because Sammy wound up admitted. The ER dr was nice enough to discharge me with the understanding I was heading to the local children's hospital behind the transport team for Sammy. We spent the entire Easter weekend at the hospital. Bonus that weekend was we got our first taste of a service animal. 

                  

And that started our service dog journey. Sammy was admitted again in May for four more days, this time to the hospital where his neurologist participates. 

In early June, Sammy was transported to a different hospital because he'd had a drop seizure on a pool deck. He'd cracked his head pretty hard. Fortunately, no damage. He was wearing a helmet full-time within 2 days. 

At the end of June, Sammy's seizures were cycling. We'd already scheduled him for a VNS (vagus nerve stimulator) placement for July 3rd. June 30th Eric drove us to the hospital and dropped us off for what we though would be a couple days. It was a week. Monday to Wednesday Sammy consistently had seizures. His longest was eight minutes (8) and that was with the nurses giving him Ativan at the four minute mark. Sammy had surgery on Thursday. Normally a VNS placement is outpatient. 

Sammy spent another three days in the hospital. The seizures had taken their toll. He was unable to stand or walk alone. When we were able to get him upright in a wheelchair for 90 minutes, he took a three-hour nap afterward. We came home with PT orders. 

We use a wheelchair for him when we know we're going to be out for a while. Thankfully we shop at Publix where they have Caroline's Cart.  

His medications have changed too many times to count. His first he was allergic to. The next didnt' work. They discovered another allergy in the ER one night. He now takes three daily meds, two vitamins and an allergy pill. He also has two rescue medications. 

My poor kiddo has lost mental and physical abilities that may or may not return. We are hopeful. He's also seen a 35 pound gain since the beginning of the year from the medications and lack of activity (due to his balance issues)

Every day is a challenge. Every day we find something new that Sammy has learned or lost. Sybil will help immensely to keep him calm and able to learn new things and relearn the lost. 

Introducing Sybil

This is Sybil.  She was born Christmas Day 2013. She is a service puppy to be. She's about 6 weeks old in this picture. 

Here is the first picture we actually saw of Sybil.  She's about 5 months old and being raised by Sandy at Sho-Me Labradors in St. James, MO.  We had met with our trainer (Jason Devito of Canines4Hope.com) for the first time in person and he wanted to show us a gallery of dogs available.  Sybil was the very first dog in the gallery and Sammy loved her. We weren't ready to select at that time. We hadn't even done a contract or made a payment.

We made our deposit of $1,000 thanks to many different donations, all private. We started selling bracelets as well. In August Jason called to see if we were ready to select. He sent us another gallery.  Amazingly, Sybil was still available and we knew she was the one. It kind of helped that she was born on Christmas.....we felt she was our Christmas miracle for Sammy.

In October, we had finally raised $2500 to purchase Sybil from Sandy. Sandy was able to take some updated pictures of Sybil.

Our yellow girl is now almost 10 months old. She will be taking her first (maybe only) plane ride soon as she travels from Missouri to Florida to begin her training. 

Sybil will be trained in Autism assistance and Epilepsy response. It's possible that over time, she may be able to detect Sammy's seizures ahead of time. We are NOT expecting her to do that. We are looking for her to help Sammy stay calm and for her to keep him safe in the event of a seizure.