Service dogs may be life-changing for individuals in need. They not only give the affection and company of a pet, but they may also be trained to do vital activities that their owner may be unable to accomplish themselves.
A service dog and their person can form the most amazing connection, and one six-year-old girl just met her future service puppy… and they quickly became friends
Memphis Rose is a sweet six-year-old girl who was just in a terrible tragedy. The girl was engaged in a multi-vehicle automobile collision on June 7 that killed her uncle.
Memphis lived, although with serious injuries. She perforated her lung and damaged her neck and spine, rendering her immobile, according to People.
“Her spinal damage may not be recoverable, and her odds of paralysis are substantial,” her mother Gayrene Meade told People.
Memphis Rose has been having surgery at St. Mary’s Medical Center in West Palm Beach, Florida, and has begun a gradual, day-to-day healing process.
After all the darkness, she did receive one ray of hope… in the shape of a new friend:
She met Juliet, her future service dog!
Lori Griffith, the founder of the Chasin a Dream Foundation, a non-profit that assists children with life-threatening conditions, learned about Memphis Rose’s tale and contacted Furry Friends, a local animal sanctuary.
They had been caring for Juliet, a golden retriever puppy they had sent to train to be a service dog for a soldier. Instead, it was determined that Juliet would make an excellent service dog for Memphis Rose.
Not only is the girl an ideal candidate for a service animal, but she also adores dogs. She’s always wanted a puppy and dreams of becoming a veterinarian when she grows up.
While Juliet still has to go through some training, she was allowed to meet her prospective owner for the first time and pay a visit to Memphis Rose in the hospital.
The meeting was wonderful, and the two clicked right away.
“She was so excited to meet Juliet that she smiled brighter than I had ever seen, especially after learning that the sweet puppy was in training to be her service dog,” Gayrene said.
“After a difficult few weeks, it was a lovely time for me.”
“Juliet was born to be a service dog for Memphis Rose,” stated Juliet’s trainer, Summit Earhart.
Juliet and Memphis Rose have seen one other a few times since their first encounter and can’t wait to see each other again, but Juliet is busy getting ready for the job.
She’ll be able to do things like switch the lights on and off, snuggle Memphis into bed, and notify her mother if there’s a medical emergency after she’s been certified as a service dog.
“Because we can’t cover everything, we want to expose Juliet to as many things as possible so that whatever occurs is fine with her,” Earhart told People.
“Memphis Rose is overjoyed that Juliet is doing well, and I consider myself quite fortunate to have been able to make a difference in this child’s life.”
It’s incredible how much of a difference a service animal can make in someone’s life. Memphis Rose has been struggling so hard since the accident, and this intelligent puppy will make her life so much easier.
