Toddler with epilepsy not eligible for service dog despite fundraising efforts

Onerural Manitoba family isheartbroken after finding out they willnotbe receiving a service dog after fundraising foraPurina Walk for Dog Guides, an event organized by the Lions Club in Ste. Anne, Man.

Jackie Barbour's 3-year-old daughterKeanna has a form of epilepsy which can cause her to have about10 seizures aweek.Barbour had been under the impression thatbeing involved in the walk meanher daughterwould receivea servicedog within a month.

• Manitoba family wants service dog to help watch over daughter with epilepsy

The fundraiser, which isheld in communities across Canada, raises money to provide trained dogs for people withdisabilities, free of charge.

Misunderstanding about eligibility

But the Lions Club of Canada Dog Guides said the family misunderstood. The organization hasa pre-existing minimum age requirement of six, due to the complexity of the dog handler's training.

The handler is required to be the person that suffers from epilepsy, Jenny Gladish,a representative from the organization, told CBC. The recipient of the seizure response dogcannot be a parent or caregiver.

"There is a certain level of understanding and responsibility the handler must assume as they learn to work with their dog guide,"Gladish said in anemail.

All recipients are required to spend three weeks in Oakville, Ont. to be matched and bond with their dogs, something that isn't feasible for a three-year-old toddler, Gladish added.

Private fundraising efforts will continue

"We went and promoted the walk and right now online I have $1,285that was raised through me," Barbour said.

The Barbourfamily is now facing a bill of roughly $25,000 topurchase a dog on their own. Barbour's friends and family have already spent a great deal of money supporting the Purina Walk for Dog Guides since they believed it would result in Keanna receiving a dog, Barbour said.

"I cried my heart out, her grandma cried her heart out. Now we're planning a garage sale to help raise funds, we're planning a social and I am making aFacebookpage," Barbour said.

GladishaddedLions Club doesn't requireapplicants orrecipients "to raise anyfunds whatsoever."

"Dog guides are provided free of charge to qualifying applicants," she said.

Barbour said her daughter needs the dog mainly because of the threat to her health at night. She saidabout 80 per cent of Keanna'sseizures happen while she is sleeping.

"If she had a bad seizure at night, she doesn't wake up and if she doesn't wake up Ihave to give her a rescue drug and if I don't get there in time it could be fatal," Barbour said.