11-year-old local in need of service dog, here's how you can help!

The parents of 11-year-old Madelyn “Maddy” Amburgey are trying to raise money to purchase and train a service dog for their daughter, who was born with a congenital heart condition, but also suffers depression, anxiety and PTSD.

Maddy’s parents are Evann and Melinda Amburgey of Mt. Sterling.

Melinda Amburgey said the family needs $800 to $2,500 to purchase a suitable dog and $5,000 to train it with Aaron Conn of Family Favorite Canine in Flemingsburg.

Conn would train the dog to perform deep pressure therapy.

The service dog would provide comfort to Maddy, who has undergone four open heart surgeries and who suffers from anxiety, depression and PTSD due to the trauma experienced from medical care, her mother said.

Maddy sometimes has panic attacks when she has to undergo regular medical care such as routine blood work, Melinda said.

In addition to her heart condition, Melinda said Maddy’s latest diagnosis has been scoliosis in which doctors found a 20 percent curvature in her spine.

Melinda said she and Evann have been searching for a dog that would be a good fit with Maddy.

They have been told that Labradors and Golden Retrievers have gentle features and would likely be easier to train for such a role.

The family is more concerned in finding a dog Maddy can bond with and not so much whether it’s registered or not, Melinda said.

She said a service dog can provide a level of comfort and security on a consistent basis that Maddy desperately needs.

“It’s hard as parents not being able to take that pain away,” Melinda said. “Having that service dog, even though she is 11, it’s kind of her security blanket to make processes a little easier for her.”

Maddy has most recently been a homebound student, but the couple hopes she will be able to enter sixth grade in-person. She previously attended school in Bath County.

A service dog would help with that, her mother said.

The couple has established a savings account at Community Trust Bank toward purchase and training of the dog. The account is in the name of Evann and Melinda Amburgey.

They have also set a GoFundMe account that directly deposits the money into the bank account, Melinda said.

A recent fundraiser that generated about $400, she said. To donate to GoFundMe, click link below:

https://www.gofundme.com/f/a-service-dog-for-maddys-healing-and-joy?attribution_id=sl:89ffda10-46a2-439e-8428-76d57c1eafdb&lang=en_US&ts=1767064399&utm_campaign=man_today_nba&utm_content=amp17_tb&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=tiktok