Photo by Sheltieboy via Flickr
Jennipher Schafer/Staff Writer
My first experience with The Beacon was last semester. I was interviewed about my service dog, Sebastian. Sebastian is a mystery to most classmates. People often see the stroller covered with a “Nightmare Before Christmas” throw blanket and assume I have a child inside. Sebastian stays in the stroller, quiet and calm unless he is needed. Like people, service animals need to relax and know that they are loved and appreciated.
Sebastian is spoiled some tell me. He has organic food and treats. He gets to go everywhere with me which keeps him happy. He enjoys walking around campus and pawing at my lap while I type up class assignments. He loves being groomed so much that I call his bath days “spa days” instead.
This spoiling on my part is in no small part due to the level of appreciation I have for what he can do for me.
Before Sebastian found his way into my life, I was struggling to get disability benefits while working a job that didn’t pay my bills. I had little warning before my seizures would hit and hours of recovery after. I had been denied three times, which is common for people applying.
When I first got Sebastian, I decided to go back to school just based on the confidence he gave me. When it was discovered that Sebastian could also detect my seizures, I felt safer as long as he was near.
Up to now, Sebastian has detected about 30 seizures. He has saved my life by alerting me before I went to run an errand. Collapsing on a busy street while crossing would certainly be undesirable.
I don’t feel guilty for spoiling him. I think he should be rewarded for his skill.
There is no training to be done for a seizure alert companion animal, it is entirely a natural ability.
When he began the behavior, it took his veterinarian, two veterinarian technicians and two dog trainers to convince me it wasn’t a joke.
When we go to the store and see holistic dog treats or nearly anything bacon flavored, I try to get it for him.
Service animals need breaks too. No person would be happy working all day, every day, for their entire life. That is what Sebastian does in every waking moment. He pays attention to me to make sure that my brain isn’t sending out electrical misfires.
While he is with me in class or on an errand, he cannot be disturbed, but when he is on his leash or in my dormitory, he can be himself.
He is free to be the hyper, loving, smart Papillon that he is. He can be the little guy who’d rather sit in my lap and that’s just fine.
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