Thanks Mare!! I debated for quite a while as to whether or not I should explain.
----- Original Message ----- From: Mare~~ To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2009 8:45 PM Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] service animals Sharon I truly am sorry you felt like you had to explain to 'friends'. Hugs,Mare -------Original Message------- From: SharonK Date: 1/8/2009 8:42:13 PM To: Chihuahuas Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] service animals I need to make several points. First, I have been disabled since 1978. My disability is not physical. Mine is the result of growing up in a nightmare of a home - a place that thought nothing of locking me inside a home-built coffin, a mother who set me up time and time again to be sexually abused, a father who blinded my sister by punching her, a brutally sadistic brother who (never mind - I'm not getting into that here). So my disability is mental/emotional. This disability sometimes makes life VERY difficult. So difficult that I tried to kill myself on June 2, 2007. At this point in my life, I have been homebound (agoraphobia) for almost 11 years. Since I got Katie, I have actually taken her for walks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is a MAJOR accomplishment for me!! Admittedly, these have been rather short walks - about a block out. But the fact that I have left my apartment at all is a very good sign of just how much Katie is helping me. As you all know, I need surgery. In an effort to take a step toward getting the surgery and help with my other problems, I contacted a therapist. When she heard how much Katie has already helped me, she suggested I make Katie my service dog. I told her I had no idea how to do it. She sent me a link with this statement posted on the home page: "IMPORTANT: It is illegal to label your dog as a Service Dog if you are not disabled. The ADA defines a Service Animal as any guide dog, signal dog, or other animal individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability. If they meet this definition, animals are considered service animals under the ADA regardless of whether they have been licensed or certified by a state or local government." Katie meets the requirements of the ADA - she assists me in being able to leave my home. Therefore, she is my Service Dog even though she has not been licensed or certified by any state or local government. Katie is the only 'thing' that has gotten me to leave my apartment in almost 11 years. With her help, I will get to a therapist and I will get to a doctor and then the hospital for the surgery. Eventually I will get to the point where I will no longer need Katie by my side just to leave my apartment. But in the meantime, she will be with me every time I go out. She gives me courage and strength. I did not make her my Service Dog just so I can take her her everywhere and show her off. Without her, I would not be going anywhere!!!!!!!!!!!!! I made her my Service Dog to save my life!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Sharon & Katie ----- Original Message ----- From: Cim's Curio Corner To: [email protected] Sent: Thursday, January 08, 2009 8:06 PM Subject: Re: [Chihuahuas] service animals We also have to remember that just because a person looks normal doesn't mean they are. Service dogs are now used for people with diabetes to alert when there sugar is getting low, people with seizures to alert when they might have an episode, there are many other reasons, people with curtain heart problems, people with asthma both to alert with things are going bad before the person realizes because it maybe to late at that time.
