31 Days of SMA: Service Dogs

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by Kevin Schaefer |

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Day 29 of 31 Days of SMA⁣⁣⁣⠀ Topic: Service Dogs⁣⁣⁣⠀ ⁣⁣⁣⠀ This is @savannahbedenbaugh⁣⁣⁣⠀ ⁣⁣⁣⠀ Luna is my heart beat at my feet.⁣⁣⁣⠀ ⁣⁣⁣⠀ Service dogs change the lives of so many disabled people! There are service dogs that can help people who have physical limitations, people who have low blood sugar or seizures, and people who are blind or deaf. Luna is trained to do specific tasks throughout the day and having her to be my helpful companion has made me so much more independent! She automatically picks up everything I drop on the floor, she is able to open and close doors for me, she knows the names of certain objects so that I can ask her to bring me my phone, keys, shoes, or blanket, she helps pull me when in my manual wheelchair to lessen my amount of pushes, and she also can go get help for me if I ever fall on the floor or am in a predicament that I cannot get out of on my own. ⁣⁣⁣⠀ ⁣⁣⁣⠀ ⁣Since getting Luna, I have much more confidence to go out on my own! Whether it’s going to hang out with a group of friends or going on a grocery run, she has given me a great amount of independence. The physical assistance is so helpful, but the bond her and I share is the best part of having her. We enjoy her “normal dog” time every day by going outside on a run, meeting new people in our neighborhood because Luna loves everyone, and fetching her favorite thing ever… tennis balls! She greets me with lots of kisses and butt wiggles every morning, is right by my side every second of the day whether she’s working or not working, and cuddles up right by my side every night. She’s not just my service dog, she’s my best friend! ⁣⁣⁣⠀ ⁣⁣⁣⠀ ⁣⁣⁣⠀ ⁣A service dog bond is one of the strongest bonds you will see between a human and an animal and I’m so blessed I get to share that bond with her! ⁣⁣⁣⠀ ⁣⁣⁣⠀ ⁣⁣⁣⠀ ⁣If you’re interested in seeing if a service dog would be a good fit for your disability and lifestyle, I highly recommend contacting Canine Companions for Independence.

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About the Author

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Kevin Schaefer Kevin Schaefer (he/him) is a writer, podcaster, and lover of all things pop culture. Diagnosed with SMA type 2 at the age of 18 months in 1995, he shares a vast array of hilarious and eye-opening stories from his life with a neuromuscular disability. He works as the associate director of community content for this site’s parent company, BioNews. He also hosts the SMA News Today Podcast. Kevin is a graduate of North Carolina State University and lives with his parents in Cary, NC. People regularly mistake him for Tony Stark, on account of his intellect and advanced technological equipment.

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31 Days of SMA, service dogs and SMA, SMA Awareness Month
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