A Steady Partner

Becky Meyers and Mobility Assist Dog Ginger

Becky Meyers of Hutchinson, Minn. started experiencing symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) in the early 2000s. But it wasn’t until 2007 that she was officially diagnosed. Her most limiting factor is fatigue, but she has problems with balance, difficulty walking and impaired vision.

As Becky’s MS progressed, the disease began to affect her job as a network analyst. The nature of her job required her to frequently walk from one end of the building to the other, which became tiresome.

“I was using a scooter full-time to get around,” Becky says. “The size of the plant was definitely an issue for me.”

Becky decided it would probably be best to stop working. She was able to stay active, however, through the help of her pet dog that had been trained to assist her around the house. But when her dog passed away, Becky knew she would still need help to live the independent life she wanted. The family’s dog trainer suggested applying to Can Do Canines.

That is how a Mobility Assist Dog named Ginger entered Becky’s life.

One of Becky’s main challenges around the house is laundry. Doing laundry by herself is difficult because the washer and dryer are located in the basement and require her to make many trips up and down the stairs, leaving her fatigued. This chore is easier with Ginger, the smooth-coat collie, by her side.

“It’s become a game—Ginger has fun with it,” says Becky. Following Becky, Ginger picks up the dirty clothes from the floor and drags the laundry down to the basement. This is a big deal because Becky no longer needs to worry about losing her balance by bending over and it saves her crucial energy for other activities throughout the day.

Ginger also helps Becky around the house by retrieving items she might drop. She is always right by Becky’s side, ready to assist however she can.

“The help of picking things up not only saves me a lot of energy, but it also reduces distractions and helps prevent me from falling,” Becky says. “I tend to trip here and there and it’s not uncommon for me to take a spill when carrying something. The fact that Ginger can open and close the refrigerator, for instance, helps a lot.”

Ginger has a big personality and has become a hit with neighbors and passersby alike. Becky says that when they go out together she has a lot more interactions with people—many asking what kind of dog Ginger is, or asking what she can do. Despite the attention Ginger gets on their outings, she remains focused on helping Becky. Ginger provides Becky with a steady partner that enriches her life in so many ways.

“Going from being a person that worked independently, and supervised others and did things, to then have to count on people, hasn’t been an easy transition. But Ginger has given me back some of that feeling of being an independent, competent person. It’s been a huge gift.”

Thank you to all those who made this partnership possible:

Puppy Raiser: Jerry Schendel
Prisons: Inmate Handlers at the Minnesota Correctional Facility at Faribault
All Prison Furlough Families
Name-A-Puppy Donor: St. Paul North Ramsey 500 Lions Club
Breeder Donor: Amy Ross