I have always wanted a dog ever since I was a kid. My family has never been pet people. I totally understand why.

When I was 15 years old or so, I convinced my mom I could take care of gold fish. At that time I got a small 2-gallon tank, a few gold fish, a pump to keep the water moving, and fish food. I named all the gold fish and was thrilled to finally have pets, even though they were only fish.

The sad ending is that all the fish in the tank died. I discovered all of them floating at the top of the tank 2 weeks later. You see, I didn’t like the cloudy water they made after about a day. I knew it was their fecal matter and I wanted to keep the tank clean.

After flushing the fish down the toilet I was in an emotional wreck. I was in turmoil; Why? How? What did I do wrong? I cannot handle fish dying; therefore I can’t imagine losing a family member such as a dog.

I did discover after the fact that the fish tank water was changed too often, resulting putting a lot of stress on the fish. I had a friend who had a gold fish in a traditional fish bowl who never changed the water or even put fish food at normal occurrences. I fish lived for 8 years or so- so apparently I was overly prepared for my goldfish.

Having a dog is different than goldfish for obvious reasons. More responsibility, time, attention, and effort are needed. I have to look at life more positively. Yes, pets will die, people die eventually too and one day my time will end. I am going off into a tangent, but basically what I am trying to say is that I want a service dog. I can get one in a year or so as I signed up with a nonprofit called Canine Companions for Independence. Learned about it from a volunteer who came into work one day.

I forgot his name, but he got my interested. I drop nick-knacks everyday from my chair (cell phone, bottle caps, trash), literally everything and a service animal can help me pick up things, hold doors for me, switch lights on/off, and just be there so I am not alone. The best part it is that I will someone there everywhere I go. I will be motivated to go outside besides work and have more independence being safe.

Best of all, the service animal will tell my when she/he has to do their business!

My best friend has lost dogs before and I have witnessed who much sorrow it gives to people after a beloved pet passes on, but he told me that no dog lasts forever. The only thing you can do is give it the best you can through out its years.

Anyways, there is a Dog fest Walk and Roll in Lake Oswego, Oregon on Saturday September 12, 2015 from 9:00AM – NOON by Canine Companions for Independence. They are accepting donations, but if you want to just walk your dog with me or others that already/ or can benefit from this organization please come on by! Apparently there is food 🙂