Meet Hailey Ashmore, the 16-year-old from Dallas, Texas who relies on her service dog named Flynn. Hailey has several conditions, including asthma, severe allergies, gastroparesis, reactive hypoglycemia, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, Ehler-Danlos syndrome, and epilepsy. Hailey was once a very active and top student at her high school, but as her conditions worsened, she had to take classes online. The most disruptive condition for Hailey is the epilepsy, which causes her to have seizures throughout the day. [googlead]Accordingly, Hailey needs Flynn to help her make it through her days.
As a service dog, Flynn required about two years of intense training. It should come as no surprise that Flynn is incredibly important for Hailey’s wellbeing. So why is she pleading with strangers to STOP petting Flynn without her permission?
This is Hailey Ashmore and Flynn, her service dog.
They’ve been together since Flynn was just a puppy.
They share a very special and loving bond.
Hailey struggles with with several medical conditions, including epilepsy.
Flynn has also been trained to be Hailey’s service dog. Flynn can sense when Hailey is going to have a seizure and warns her so that she has enough time to get help and find a safe place.
One day, Hailey visited her father at work where she ran into one of his coworkers. This coworker ignored the “STOP” sign that Flynn wears, and began to pet him. “I immediately told him to stop [petting Flynn].”
“The only time somebody should ever approach Flynn and I is if I am unconscious and/or having a seizure. Besides that, nobody should try to pet or get near him. I wish people could understand that’s what the giant stop sign patch means. If somebody distracts him I can get seriously hurt. If you see a service dog in public please educate your children, your friends, your family, anybody else that they are doing a really important job. Thank you.”
While Flynn was distracted by the man petting him, Hailey went into a seizure. “I am used to him giving me 10 minute warnings, so when he alerted me that’s what I thought I had. Out of nowhere I remember the world going black. I woke up with Flynn on top of my legs and my father cradling my head. On the whole left side of my face there was a terrible sting that made me tear up.”
As a result, Hailey woke up with rug burns on her face.
“My service dog is my lifeline. I don’t say that to be cute. He helps keep me alive just like life support. If he gets distracted this happens. If he gets distracted I can die. Do not pet service dogs. Do not call to service dogs. Do not taunt service dogs. Do not talk to service dogs. Do not do anything to service dogs. Thank you.”
Many of us don’t think twice about petting a stranger’s dog. But let this story serve as an important lesson to all of us so that it never happens again!
Source: LittleThings
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