Bella has Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome (LGS), a rare and aggressive form of epilepsy. She also lives with autism, multiple heart conditions, OCD, hearing loss, dementia, and more. Every day is a fight. Her seizures come without warning and are so severe that they stop her breathing. But through all of this, Bella has found comfort, safety, and friendship in a dog named Zodiac, her service dog trained by 4 Paws for Ability.
Before Zodiac, Bella lived in constant fear.
“She wasn’t able to sleep by herself because her seizures are so random,” shares Bella’s sister Cassidy. “When she is seizing she stops breathing, and she starts turning blue. She didn’t get to shut her bedroom door and she was always afraid that we wouldn’t know she was having a seizure. She was so afraid that she would have a seizure and die because we wouldn’t know she was having one.”
That all changed with the arrival of Zodiac in 2019.
Zodiac is trained in Seizure Pre-alert, Seizure Alert, Behavior Disruption, Mobility Assistance, and Item Retrieval. But to Bella, he is so much more than a service dog. He is her protector and her comfort.
“She says that he is her prince charming and he will always be there to save her,” Cassidy says.
Zodiac’s abilities are nothing short of incredible. He often pre-alerts Bella’s seizures six hours in advance giving the family enough time to administer her rescue medications. He has a way of knowing what’s coming before any human could. And when the seizures strike, Zodiac leaps into action.
“He LOVES to alert for active seizures,” Cassidy says. “He gets ALL the treats and a huge after-party.”
One unforgettable moment came just six months after Zodiac joined their family. Bella was alone in her room eating mini donuts when she began to have a grand mal seizure. She made no sound. She began to aspirate. But Zodiac knew something was wrong.
“Zodiac barked to alert us that she was seizing,” Cassidy recalls. “We ended up having to clear her airway, do chest compressions, and administer seizure rescue meds. If we hadn’t had Zodiac, Bella wouldn’t be here today.
He truly has been a lifesaver for our family.”
Beyond seizure alerts, Zodiac helps Bella navigate everyday life. When autism overwhelms her, Zodiac gently interrupts her with a simple paw, a boop, a nudge back to peace.
“Bella has been able to feel more comfortable being in different rooms without us because Zodiac is always right with his girl,” Cassidy says. “The best part is that he wants to be right with her. They truly are best friends.”
It’s impossible to put a price on peace of mind but that’s what Zodiac has given his family.
“These dogs make it so that families like ours can sleep at night knowing that there is an extra set of eyes, and a nose, on her,” Cassidy says. “We know that his nose is our way to help Bella have a long life and for it to be a safe and fun journey.”
Zodiac isn’t just a dog. He is a lifeline.
“Without 4 Paws for Ability, family and friends who donated, an anonymous donor, and Zodiac’s trainers, we wouldn’t have Bella today,” Cassidy says. “Thank you 4 Paws, Stephanie, Darby, and Bethany for giving us the gift of peace of mind.”