Dogs have long been called 'man’s best friend' not only for their cuddly nature, but also because of their loyalty and ability to make their owners feel better almost immediately.
That’s why Barrie mother Jackie Miller is hoping to raise money through a GoFundMe toward the purchase of a psychiatric service dog from K-9 Country Inn Working Service Dogs, a Meaford-based service dog training and accreditation program. The dog would be for Miller's 12-year-old daughter, Jordyn, who has been struggling with mental-health issues for several years.
The Grade 7 student suffers from anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as having recently been diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder (DID). She also has a history of self-harming by cutting and has attempted suicide in the past year.
Jordyn says growing up, she had a close family member who was an alcoholic, "so that brought on a lot of stuff,” she told BarrieToday. Her mother’s boyfriend also died earlier this year in the home after his own struggles with mental health.
In February, with kids at home due to the pandemic — and, in turn, spending more time online — Miller told BarrieToday her daughter ended up being targeted by an online predator.
“It was a 26-year-old male and he really got into her head mentally in a lot of really horrible ways — not just sexually, but showing graphic videos of killing children,” she says. “Jordyn, from what I always saw, was always a happy, outgoing child and when everything came out back in April, she expressed it was easier to pretend she was happy but that overall she felt a sadness, even going back as young as Grade 2."
The last few months has pretty much been a “spiral of trauma," Miller added.
“In July, she was diagnosed with DID, which is basically taking on different alters. They describe it as her psyche splitting so she can cope with everything that’s happened to her," says the mom.
Meanwhile, mother and daughter have been working with doctors and experts in youth mental health at Sick Kids Hospital, Royal Victoria Regional Health Centre (RVH), Youthdale and Kinark Child and Family Services. Miller says the idea of a psychiatric service dog came about after attending RVH for an emergency visit when the doctor suggested getting a puppy as something to help cheer her up.
“Through the course of dealing with a lot of doctors, they’ve said the benefit of this could truly help,” Miller says. “She suffers from PTSD and every night she wakes up with night terrors. Although she’s on medication, she still wakes up in a state of fear all the time. The benefits of having the dog would be it would keep her feeling safe.”
While the mom and daughter acknowledge it’s been an extremely difficult year, as a family they are working as hard as possible to get mental health — and get her — better. They are hoping by sharing Jordyn’s story they can help get the word out that even young kids can struggle with mental-health issues.
“We are super close and, honestly, this wasn’t even on my radar. It’s definitely my biggest nightmare. My son has autism and Tourette’s and ADHD and I’ve been a strong advocate and walked through so much with him… so now my full-time job now is advocating for her,” Miller says. “For a kid to be on SnapChat making funny videos and pictures is one thing, but it goes beyond that. It was literally a random person, but her mental health was already so bad and it was like a lifeline to her.
"And that’s how these people target kids — they find the cracks.”
The pair has currently raised more than $4,000 toward the $30,000-plus needed to purchase the psychiatric service dog, which would be specially trained for Jordyn and her specific needs.
“The benefit is she’s under 24-7 watch. There are concerns for her safety, so there are just so many things it would help with, as well as obviously a companion for emotional support," Miller says.
Jordyn says being able to get a psychiatric service dog, which she would name Toby if she ended up with a male, would definitely help with things she struggles with on a daily basis.
“I think it would improve my quality of life. I’ve heard a lot about the good things (a psychiatric dog) could bring. I am on Instagram with my business so I am seeing all these stories of people with service dogs and how much they’ve helped them, and I am just really hoping I can get that too,” she says. “It can’t really explain how much I think this would be awesome.”
Miller says her daughter has recently expressed a true desire to heal and get better — and this would go a long way in seeing that happen.
“She wants to be a normal kid again and go to school,” says Miller. “Watching your child go from an active, A-student with lots of friends, (who was) a double brown belt in karate… and then watching her slowly decline and actively harm herself... She was living in this darkness and (now) we want some hope. This dog is a light of hope.
"Even just the last month or so of researching it has given her a glimmer that wasn’t there before.”
Jordyn also wants to help others realize that while it’s not an easy road, you can heal and get better, no matter your age.
“It takes a lot of work but there are so many people out there that can support you," she says.
