Furry escort turns owner’s life around
Three years after Margaret Seewalt moved to Edmonton, she finally found someone to show her around town.
In doing so, the 46-yearold woman has a new spirit and confidence about her — something clearly obvious within just a few minutes of meeting her.
Seewalt’s new companion may appear lazy as he lies on the floor in a west end coffee shop just before the noon hour rush.
He doesn’t stir or make a sound.
But in a moment’s notice, he’s ready to escort Seewalt whenever or wherever she wants or needs to go.
Meet Cosmo, a two-yearold golden retriever. Cosmo is a service dog and works with people with disabilities to increase their independence.
In Seewalt’s case, Cosmo has turned Seewalt’s life around.
She was a photographer living in Montreal when she contacted a virus, causing her to lose her eyesight. Seewalt was cleaning her house one day when she ran into a towel wrack and damaged her eyes even more.
“When I lost my sight I felt like I had nothing left. I sat alone in my apartment and became very depressed,” she says before tears slowly slide down her face.
Her family was in Edmonton and, on their suggestion, she moved west to be close to them. There remained a feeling of isolation: Seewalt had never lived here before and didn’t know her way around the city.
She tried using a white cane, but she fell, tripped and walked into construction with it.
Seewalt’s niece trains animals to be in films and suggested a guide dog.
“I never had a dog in my life,” Seewalt says with a chuckle.
After some hesitation, Seewalt called Dogs With Wings, an agency who trains dogs to work with people who are blind and have other physical disabilities.
On April 16, she met Cosmo and says her life has turned around.
“I wanted to accept my blindness and be proud of who I am, but I had trouble doing that,” Seewalt says. “I can do that now because I am strong. I feel proud. And Cosmo has given me that.”
The pair now have a very busy schedule walking malls, going to restaurants and doctor appointments.
“I can walk up stairs now and not even use the railing because Cosmo helps me and that feels great,” Seewalt says.
When Cosmo is at home, Seewalt is constantly feeling him to make sure he isn’t gaining weight. If he does, Seewalt plans to up the exercise.
“We exercise together,” she says. “When I am working out, Cosmo goes on the treadmill.”
She encourages other people to consider getting a guide dog from Dogs With Wings.
The Edmonton charity is always looking for volunteers to take puppies in and train them to become guide dogs. It offers training assistance and provides weekly classes for volunteers and puppies.
Elisa Irlam, co-founder and director of client services with Dogs with Wings, admits it is always very emotional taking a newly trained dog to their new owner and saying goodbye.
“But when someone is 30 years old, you don’t expect them to still live at home with their parents,” Irlam says. “I look at the dogs we train the same way.”
Seewalt says her experience with Cosmo will only get better. “It’s like eating chocolate every day,” she says.
And now she has someone to lead her to it. For more information call 780-944-9571.