The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Service dog needs helping hand
Pair hope to save pet and raise awareness of service dogs
Owners of a service dog who helped his master overcome posttraumatic stress disorder are returning the good deed by raising money to help Diggery beat recently diagnosed cancer.
A service dog who helped his owner overcome severe post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is now facing his own battle.
Diggery, who was fostered by Kevin Nordby in 2005, was recently diagnosed with lymphoma in his liver and spleen, and possibly his brain stem.
Despite this bleak outlook, vets have assured his owners that if he undergoes treatment for the disease there is a high chance of prolonging Diggery’s life.
It could prove costly, with estimates ranging between £8,000 and £14,500, and Diggery’s plight has left Kevin and his wife Stephanie – who recently moved to St Andrews from America – with no choice but to appeal for help.
They launched a GoFundMe crowdfunding drive in the hope that not only will they raise enough money to afford the expensive veterinary care, but that Diggery’s story will raise awareness of the importance of service dogs.
“There is no doubt in my mind that my husband is alive because Diggery was there to help him during the darkest periods of his depression, and we owe him so much for what he has done for our family,” Stephanie said.
“While we cannot be certain he will recover if treated, there is a good chance he will, and live a longer, happy and fulfilled life if we continue his treatment.
“Given all that Diggery has done for us and the way he has saved our lives, we feel we owe him a chance at recovery, so long as he does not suffer along the way.”
When Kevin first began fostering Diggery, he was suffering from PTSD due to the physical and emotional abuse he was subjected to as a child.
Diggery is also credited with helping Stephanie, who had previously been diagnosed with PTSD, and eventually the couple began training him as a service dog.
Both Kevin and Stephanie, who moved from the States to continue their education in St Andrews, have experienced the positive effects that service dogs can have on those suffering with psychiatric disabilities, and they hope that by sharing their story they can bring to light the importance of such animals.
Anyone who wishes to donate to help Diggery can do so at https://www. gofundme.com/ donate to diggery dog.
There is no doubt in my mind that my husband is alive because Diggery was there to help him during the darkest periods of his depression, and we owe him so much for what he has done ...