Service dogs named Axl & Eva

The reason I choose this topic this week is because I feel this is a topic that not very many people are educated on. Do you have to look disabled to have a service dog? The simple is answer is no! Just because your disability is not visible does not mean you don’t need a service dog! I have two service dogs, when I got diagnosed with my mental disorders 5 years ago, I met my little Eva, she made my life better not only did she make me happy, but if I had her with me, I could leave the house. After 4 months of barley leaving the house my doctor was in shock that the only thing that changed in my life was Eva. I wasn’t healed, I still had my disorders but they were more bearable! My doctor immediately registered her as a service dog! Eva nick named nurse Eva helps me to this day deal with panic attacks, when I wake up in the middle of the night with dry heaves Eva is the one awake and comforting me. When Axl came along we became a trio, once again my doctor got him registered as a service dog as well. Axl helped me in other ways, Axl is very supportive, he knows when I’m going to have a panic attack and try’s to nip it In the butt before it happens. I could go on and on how my pups have helped me fight my agoraphobia and panic disorder but no one wants to read pages about how great my dogs are. The real reason I am writing this is to raise awareness about service dogs for mental illness. On the outside I look healthy, I don’t look like I’m suffering or panicking, little do people know I am, I am a mess. If I don’t have Axl and Eva with me, I wouldn’t be as calm looking. Before I got my service dogs I could barley leave the house. I have been treated poorly for having service dogs because I don’t look sick. I had one guy say to me, you clearly are not blind, no need to have your dog with you. I used to explain my situation, but why should I have to do that? I shouldn’t. I can’t say all my experiences have been bad, one time we went to Denny’s after 3 long years of not being able to eat at a restaurant, we went around 10 pm it wouldn’t be busy and I could take Axl and Eva. When we arrived I told our waitress, they were service dogs and explained my situation, she was amazing she brought the dogs a plate of bacon and with our food brought us our bill and Togo boxes in case we had to leave due to a panic attack. That women made my life so much easier and I was able to stay and eat dinner. If only we had more people like her. Moral of the story is don’t judge someone by their looks, you have no idea how much pain or how hard they are fighting to do something that is so simple for you. When you see someone with a service dog, respect them, understand they need their dog with them. Try not to stare or make comments. We want to be normal! You have no idea how much support a dog can give to you until you have felt it yourself. For some reason they are able to give me confidence.

I kept this kinda brief but if you want to hear more service dog stories let me know. ❤️