Amanda Bohl and Beatrice, her service dog and companion, battle Bohl’s panic attacks, anxiety, insomnia and dizziness on a daily basis. But that changed on April 7, when Beatrice was assaulted on the campus of the elementary school in which Bohl has done her student teaching.
The attack caused thousands of dollars in damage and has left Bohl, a senior education major, without her companion and friend.
Bohl said Beatrice was attacked by a woman while sitting under a small table. According to Bohl, Beatrice was not aggressive toward the woman, and in her efforts to get away, got caught on the legs of the table, further injuring her.
(Courtesy: Instagram)
Amanda Bohl’s service dog, Beatrice, was attacked while sitting under a table last month, causing injuries to her right foreleg.
“When it was time for us to leave, I stood up and walked around the long table and when I was halfway around the table I watched a woman take a broom and strike Beatrice with a jabbing motion directly into her right side,” Bohl said. “The blow was completely unprovoked.”
Beatrice was then taken to her local vet, Pampered Paws Animal Hospital, for treatment and was referred to the Mississippi State Animal Health Care Center, where she was placed in the intensive care unit.
“The two-hour drive was brutal,” Bohl said. “Beatrice was uncomfortable and screamed every time we hit the slightest bump and there wasn’t anything I could do. When we finally got to State, Beatrice was taken in on a stretcher because we didn’t know what was wrong. There was speculation that this could be related to her arm or spinal damage.”
Beatrice spent three days in the intensive care unit after the vet recommended an MRI, which would cost around $2,500.
After adding up the expenses from Beatrice’s injury, Bohl set up a GoFundMe account to raise money for the MRI and additional veterinary bills.
Bohl said she is pursuing legal action at this time.
“Yes, legal action is necessary and it is being handled carefully,” she said. “However, what people need to know is that interfering or harming a service dog, or any dog, is wrong. That is much more important than any legal outcome.”
After leaving the ICU, Beatrice was sent home with pain and anti-inflammatory medication, as well as strict kennel-rest instructions.
“Over the next few days at home it was clear she was still in pain,” Bohl said. “I began seeking alternative ways to manage her pain. A good friend of mine recommended acupuncture and told me that the Bottle Tree Animal Hospital does it right here in town.”
The acupuncture relieved Beatrice’s pain significantly in a matter of hours. By the time of the acupuncture appointment on April 19, $2,200 was raised on the GoFundMe account.
The MRI results revealed various injuries including inflammation, edema and severe atrophy of the muscles on her left shoulder. She also suffered from a spiked fever after her MRI, causing lethargy and body tremors.
Currently, the GoFundMe page has raised $3,587 out of the goal amount of $5,500.
Bohl said Beatrice’s assault has been extremely difficult to cope with.
(Courtesy: Instagram)
Amanda Bohl’s service dog Beatrice stands with Bohl for a picture.
“I got Beatrice as a prospect service dog when she was just seven weeks old,” she said. “Since then we have worked together on training with the assistance of personal trainers. It’s been a long, fun and rewarding process and I’ve had the privilege of watching her blossom from a curious puppy into a service dog with purpose.”
Beatrice assists Bohl in her everyday life, helping her carry items on command and acting as a guidepost when she becomes dizzy.
Getting around in the absence of Beatrice has been difficult for Bohl. Without her presence, Bohl has fallen in her house and forgotten to take her medication.
Bohl said it is difficult for people to understand how important service dogs are and the impact they have on their owners. Interfering with the well-being of the relationship between a service dog and its owner could potentially be detrimental, she said.
“What many people don’t realize is it’s the little things a service dog does that make a big difference,” she said.
Beatrice has a long road to recovery. She will remain on kennel rest and medication for five to six weeks and will be continuing her acupuncture appointments to help with the pain.
Bohl said if Beatrice is spooked or frightened, it could worsen her condition, making her unreliable and forced into an early retirement.
“If Beatrice is forced into retirement, it’s not like I can go to the local pharmacy and pick up a shiny new service dog,” Bohl said. “You have to find another dog and restart the expensive and time-consuming process of training.”
