My Life Saving Dog

Documentary, Animals, human interest

Mei Zhang, 20, and her 18-month old golden retriever, Koda, are on a life changing journey. For Mei, who’s left the care system, Koda is not only her assistance dog in training, but the reason Mei is still alive. 

Assistance dogs can be every bit as magical as a guide dog. Koda is not only Mei’s best friend, but is learning how to provide lifesaving support when Mei’s feeling suicidal, as well as providing plenty of laughs and a fair bit of frustration too! As Mei comes to the end of her care leaver support, Koda brings joy and laughter into Mei’s everyday life and as she turns 21, can the two of them find the way to begin a new life? 

At only 20, Mei has lived through more hardships than most and experienced the worst life can offer. Cared for by her grandmother, as her parents were too busy, and bullied at school “because I was fat and Chinese”. When her mum divorced her dad and moved into a council house, her grandmother returned to China, taking away the one constant in her life at the vulnerable age of 9. Over the next 5 years, suffering with bulimia and mental health issues, including self-harm, she quickly became the focus of social services. As a result, she was taken into care, where she lived until the age of 18. 

Now deemed an adult Mei had to leave her children’s home and after a disastrous first flat share moved into her own place 15 months ago. Her very first decision: “Buy my own dog". This film focuses on the vital bond between a care leaver and her assistance dog. Guide dogs, hearing dogs and police dogs are praised for their brave and life changing support they give. It’s now time to add assistance dogs to that list, whose job is to transform lives. Koda is learning to provide deep pressure therapy or placing her weight on Mei to help with anxiety attacks and suicidal thoughts. If she’s out in a crowded location she will help guide her quickly to an exit to help calm her down. For others their assistance dogs can even tell if the owner's blood sugars are low and they are about to collapse, helping prevent a trip to A&E. These natural talents make for super-human helpers.