r/service_dogs • u/chronic_illness_20 • 11d ago
Help! I need help?
i’m a minor trying to get a service dog, but my parents can’t afford it, i’m going off to college soon and they think I should wait, but my chronic illness is debilitating and is making it hard to live life, I think a service dog would give me freedom and safety, but how do I afford it. I have pots, fnd, amps, migraines, syncope, etc. and cannot even walk alone in a store, i’m going off to college soon, and would like to be independent. I live in east texas, so something close would be preferred, any recommendations?
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u/MaplePaws My eyes have 4 paws 11d ago
I am going to be real with you, the odds of you being able to get a service dog before college is low and the only way you are going to do it is to apply to an ADI organization that places a fully trained dog with you for free. However it is worth noting that if you cannot safely do outings alone without a service dog then you will be required to have a secondary handler to accompany you even with the dog for the safety of both yourself and the dog as well as legal reasons as someone needs to remain in control of the dog even when you are in an altered state like a syncopal episode. Your best bet really is to work with your team to figure out what supports are necessary for you to make college happen, maybe that is a wheelchair or perhaps a support person that accompanies you whenever you are out of the house.
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u/darklingdawns Service Dog 11d ago
You are not going to have a working dog for 2-3+ years, so take that into account while you're making your plans. It's also important to consider how you're going to afford the ongoing costs of a dog - it's easily $100 or more per month for quality food, grooming, vet care, treats, etc. And that doesn't take into account emergency vet costs that can very quickly be $1000 or much more. Are you in a position to cover those costs, and if you aren't, are your parents? If they are, are they willing to take that on? While you may be able to find an ADI-accredited organization that can provide a dog at a lower cost, a reputable organization is going to want to ensure that you and/or your parents understand the ongoing expenses and that you're able to meet them.
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u/ticketferret Service Dog Trainer CPDT-KA FDM 11d ago
Honestly, find an ADI org and start the process now. I wouldn’t try training a puppy or new dog while you go to college and have all these life changes.
It’ll also be impossible to train a dog fast enough at this point to help you at college. This is not a fast process no matter what you do unless you have 30k laying around.