Murphy is a joyful, animal-loving 4-year-old who just happens to have severe hydrocephalus and epilepsy. He was born with only 20–30% brain tissue, but you would never know it by watching him live his life.

He’s all cowboy boots, sports, dirt, music, and loving on every animal he can find. He keeps up. He laughs big. He lives fully.

Because of his epilepsy, seizures can happen without warning. A seizure alert dog would be life-changing for Murphy. These specially trained dogs can detect seizures before they occur, giving us precious time to get him safe and respond quickly.

Beyond the medical safety, this dog would give Murphy something even more powerful — confidence, independence, and a constant companion by his side. For a little boy who already loves animals with his whole heart, this wouldn’t just be a service dog.

It would be his partner. His protector. His best friend.

We are raising funds to help bring that protection and independence into Murphy’s life. Every donation moves him one step closer to a safer, more secure future.

Thank you for being part of his journey.

Training a service dog to meet our child’s requirements can be very costly. On average it costs between $40,000-60,000 to raise, train, and place a service dog at 4 Paws for Ability. While 4 Paws for Ability fundraises to help cover a significant portion of this cost, families are tasked with raising $20,000 of that amount or $23,000 if receiving a poodle, doodle or papillon. We hope that we can receive assistance from our beloved family and friends to help make our service dog dream a reality.