5 Biggest Reasons a Service Animal is Worth More than All the Gold in the World

This is a departure from the scope of KenMakes, but it’s unbelievably personal. And I am going to make something regarding this posting.

As many of you know, my mom passed away nearly two years ago. I truly believe she would have died much sooner if she had gone to a care facility, given how suddenly her health became critical. Even in the hospital (except for Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Campus, actually), I made them leave her CGM alone so I would still get alerts. Most people thought I got more sleep when she was in the hospital, but I didn’t. If anything, I got even less sleep because I was terrified they wouldn’t check on her often enough.

One of the best decisions my mom ever made was getting Gus, her service animal. After Lola passed (my wonderful, beautiful, sweet beagle), I wanted nothing to do with another dog, and I resisted Gus for quite some time. When he was young, a retired police K9 detective had already started training him to locate drugs. He never forgot that training—long after Mom passed, he would still catch certain scents and alert us. But more importantly, he received medical service training and learned to recognize when Mom was in trouble. He became a certified diabetic alert dog, and the trainers even started teaching him to protect her. Once he started training, he never left mom's side (see photos).

Every hour—almost to the minute—he wanted to go outside and walk the perimeter. He had to, and if he couldn’t, he would get extremely upset. He rarely showed aggression, but if he sensed a threat, he positioned himself between Mom and the danger. At over 180 pounds (which was normal for his breed and lineage), he was a force to be reckoned with.

After checking the perimeter, he would always check on Mom. He could smell a problem. He would lick her neck or hand and taste a problem. Mom knew he would check on her every hour, so she always made sure he had access to her neck or hand when she went to bed. He could even detect issues through her behavior and voice. If her blood sugar was dropping, he would try to wake her up. If she didn’t respond, he would gently grab her arm or the back of her neck—not biting, but pulling—trying to wake her. If she still didn’t respond, he would alert whoever was in the house.

A few times, I had to call 911. If you ARE or WERE a first responder at any time, you know this is not something you do unless you absolutely have to call. Whenever Gus saw Mom in distress and heard sirens, he would unlock and open doors—yes, actually unlock them—and even knew how to open the gate. He never had to do this, since I was always home, but he had been trained to guide the ambulance crew to her. Once the paramedics were with her, he would quietly go to a corner, sit completely still, and watch—like a statue. He never moved or made a sound. But he was always watching. Gus joined us in the neuro ICU when we removed her from life support. 

After Mom passed, Gus became severely depressed. He wasn’t eating. He wasn’t patrolling the perimeter. He spent most of his time sitting in his favorite chair, clutching a piece of Mom’s clothing. He was still a dog, but I could tell he was grieving. And I was worried.

Before she passed, Mom had asked me to find someone who truly needed a dog like Gus but couldn’t afford one. She wanted me to sell him at a reduced price to make sure he went to someone who needed him more than they could afford him.

My neighbor’s mother-in-law was struggling, and she seemed like she truly needed a Gus in her life. And Gus needed a Mom in his life. Gus had given me more time with my mom, and I loved him dearly, but I knew this was the right thing to do.

However, I broke part of my promise to my mom.

Gus had done so much for me and my mother. It hurt to think that someone who needed him so badly couldn’t afford him. So instead of selling him at a lower price, I gave him away—for free. The only condition was that if she ever couldn’t keep him, he would come back to me. And if he passed, I wanted to know.

Here are the five reasons that a service animal is absolutely priceless:

1. An additional year with my beloved mother.
2. Another additional year with my beloved mother.
3. A third additional year with my beloved mother.
4. Yep, you guessed it: another year with my beloved mother.
5. And finally, a fifth additional year with my beloved mother.

And now, it's with a heavy heart and complete shock that after a sudden medical illness, Gus passed away on Saturday, March 8, 2025.

Thank you, Gus, for giving me so much more time with my mom. I love you more than words can say. I hope you knew that I love you & I didn't abandon you: I sent you away so you could be happy again. I sent you to the nice lady because she needed you just as much as you needed her.

Go find Mom, Gus—I know she’s been waiting for you. Tell her I kept my promise and that I love & miss you both so much! When it's my turn, I'll find you both.

Rest in peace, my hero. And thank you: you were such a good boy and I will never forget you.

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