CHARLOTTE
I am a veteran and cancer patient, currently in remission. Before COVID, I was a very active and independent person, working a typical 9-to-5 office job and enjoying being out in my community. I struggled with anxiety, but it was manageable. I could still enjoy things like going to coffee shops, seeing a movie, and spending time out in the world.
Then the pandemic hit, and everything changed.
In August 2025, I came across what I believed was an incredible opportunity to obtain a fully trained service dog. I began making payments, hopeful that this dog would help me regain some of the independence I had lost.
Just one month later, in September, I was diagnosed with low-grade serous ovarian cancer and began treatment. During one of the most difficult periods of my life, I continued making payments toward my service dog, believing I was working toward something that would make my future a little brighter.
After I finished paying for the dog, however, I began receiving demands for extremely expensive "shipping" and boarding fees. I had been in regular contact with the supposed trainer throughout the process, so I never imagined that I was being scammed. It wasn't until December, when I refused yet another request for money and began investigating, that I discovered the truth.
There was no service dog coming.
Not only had I lost a significant amount of money, but I had also lost the hope and trust I had placed in someone who claimed they wanted to help me. I never imagined that someone would take advantage of a veteran going through cancer treatment.
The experience sent my anxiety into overdrive, and my panic attacks became a daily occurrence. Things that were once a normal part of my life became increasingly difficult, and my independence became smaller and smaller.
Dogs have always had a grounding presence in my life, which is why having a properly trained service dog would mean so much to me. My service dog will be trained to alert to and respond when my heart rate becomes elevated, as well as recognize and respond to my panic attacks. Most importantly, my dog will give me the confidence and support I need to begin going back into my community.
For me, a service dog isn't simply about having a dog by my side. It's about getting pieces of my life back—the ability to go to a coffee shop, enjoy a movie, spend time in my community, and experience the independence I once had.
After everything I have been through, I am ready to start moving forward again. A service dog can help me do that.
Please help us raise the money we need for a dog to be matched with Charlotte!
REBECCA
For many years, my service dog, Hoagie, was my constant
partner. While working as a government contractor in a
secure facility, I couldn't carry a phone or wear a
smartwatch, so I relied on him every day.
After two rear-end collisions left me with permanent back
injuries, Hoagie helped me retrieve medications and other
items that I couldn't easily reach. He reminded me to take
my scheduled medications, alerted me when my blood
sugar was dropping or a migraine was beginning, guided
me safely during emergency evacuations, and even helped
me find my car when I became disoriented.
Hoagie and I retired in 2023, and later that year I lost him to
congestive heart failure. Losing him was heartbreaking,
and it also meant losing the independence and safety he
provided every day.
Today, my health has declined to the point where I can no
longer train a service dog on my own. That's why I've
partnered with Cosmos Working Dogs, a nonprofit that
specializes in training service dogs. Their program
provides the extensive two years of training a service dog
needs before I complete team training to learn how to work
with my new partner.
Training a service dog is a significant investment, but
Cosmos Working Dogs allows clients to fund raise toward
the cost. With your support, I can regain the independence,
confidence, and security that a well-trained service dog
makes possible.
DANIELLE
Hi, my name is Danielle. I am 37 years old and use a wheelchair due to cerebral palsy. I also live with PTSD, which can make everyday activities and being out in the community more challenging.
I moved to the United States from England in 2010. While living in England, I had a wonderful Labrador service dog who made an incredible difference in my life. My dog helped me with physical tasks, such as picking up items I dropped or couldn't reach from my wheelchair, while also providing assistance with my PTSD.
Having a service dog gave me something that is difficult to put a price on: independence, confidence, and freedom.
I desperately miss having that kind of partnership in my life. When you rely on a wheelchair, something as simple as dropping your keys, phone, or another item can suddenly become a major obstacle. A trained service dog can retrieve those items and perform other tasks that allow me to be more independent instead of always needing to ask another person for assistance.
My future service dog will also be trained to help with my PTSD. Tasks may include recognizing and responding to anxiety or panic attacks, interrupting behaviors such as hair pulling or nail biting, providing grounding and comfort during periods of distress, and using scent work to recognize changes that may signal I need assistance.
Unfortunately, my journey toward receiving another service dog has already included a devastating setback. I trusted a previous service dog company and was scammed out of $6,000. I lost not only a significant amount of money, but also the hope I had placed in finally having a service dog by my side again.
Despite that experience, I haven't given up.
I know firsthand how life-changing a properly trained service dog can be because I have experienced that partnership before. I remember what it feels like to have that extra independence—to know that when I need help, my dog is right there beside me.
Now I am asking for help to make that possible again.
The cost of professionally raising and training a service dog is significant, and I cannot do this alone. Every donation, fundraiser, share, and word of encouragement brings me one step closer to being partnered with a service dog and regaining some of the independence I once had.
I have already experienced what it means to lose thousands of dollars while simply trying to get the assistance I need. This time, I am hopeful that my journey will end differently—with a trained service dog beside my wheelchair and a whole new chapter of independence ahead of me.
Thank you for reading my story, sharing my journey, and helping me work toward bringing a service dog back into my life. Your support means more than you know.
The better I get to know men, the more I find myself loving dogs.
Charles de Gaulle
