Tiffany Thomas almost died multiple times before a service dog named Cricket entered her life.
And, in addition to her series of near-death experiences, the 46-year-old Delta resident was often gripped with episodes of anxiety and panic so severe, they prevented her from living normally.
“I was a vivacious entrepreneur, someone who had a very successful catering business on the Sunshine Coast,” says Thomas. “And then I became someone who was so damaged, my life stopped.”
At the age of 25, Thomas suddenly — and inexplicably — developed an anaphylactic allergy to shellfish. Anaphylaxis is a potentially fatal allergic reaction; its potential symptoms include swelling of the throat and tongue, difficulty breathing, and passing out.
Thomas’s sensitivity to shellfish became such that if a spoon in a restaurant kitchen came into brief contact with shellfish and then an ingredient in her own meal, consumption of that meal could trigger an attack.
“I’ve been intubated five times and [administered a tracheostomy] once,” she says.
More recently, Thomas became a victim of sexual assault while outside of the country. In the months that followed, after returning home, her anxiety and panic attacks led to a diagnosis of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Acting upon a recommendation from her psychiatrist, Thomas acquired Cricket from Vancouver Island K9 Consulting (VIK9C), located in Brentwood Bay.
A certified guide dog typically costs tens of thousands of dollars, but the only applicants eligible for government financial assistance are veterans and first responders. Cricket’s price was $44,000, to be paid in installments over several years.
Nevertheless, Thomas considers Cricket the most invaluable investment of her life. The custom-trained Goldendoodle, who is now five years old, has detected cross-contamination in Thomas’s food more than two dozen times — the first time, less than 24 hours after Thomas brought her home.
Cricket is also able to detect — via smell and physical cues — when Thomas begins to dissociate because of her PTSD. She then leans her body into Thomas and/or licks her hands or face to draw her back into a calmer, more conscious state.
Yet despite how indispensable she is to her daily life; Thomas may soon lose Cricket due to a long-standing balance owing on the dog’s original cost.
“I was able to afford Cricket in the first place because I sold my catering business. That’s how I was able to make the down payment,” Thomas explains. “She was supposed to be paid off last fall. Unfortunately, in 2022, my long-time partner, Miguel, got COVID and influenza at the same time, and ended up needing a double lung transplant. He was an aviation engineer, so he was the main breadwinner for the family.
“We were paying $1,000 a month, and then COVID came, and we were paying $850. Then Miguel got sick a year and a half later, and I’ve been making little payments here and there.”
Thomas, who trained with and now works for VIK9C, has been told she has until the end of September to pay the outstanding balance. Having exhausted all other options, she launched an online fundraiser in the hope of collecting $7,300. At the time of this writing, it has raised less than $500.
“I don’t know if [VIK9C] would take me to court or try to repossess Cricket, because she’s under contract,” says Thomas. “I don’t want to know what [the September deadline] might mean. So, I’m really, really trying. If I can come up with even half the funds… I’ll have done everything I can.”
To learn more about the “Campaign for Cricket” and/or to make a donation, click here.
