🐾 A Call for Help: Norm and Bear Deserve Better
In Chemainus, BC, lives a man named Norm and his beloved service dog, Bear. Norm is 68 years old, deaf, and living on a limited disability income. He’s a senior who adores animals and relies on Bear not just for companionship but for survival. Bear is a hearing and medical service dog, trained to protect and support Norm in his daily life.
A while ago, Norm was hit by a pickup truck and spent two months in the hospital undergoing five surgeries. During this time, he was unable to communicate with his pet insurance company, Fetch, because they only offer support via phone — something that is simply not accessible for someone who is deaf.
Despite these circumstances, Fetch Pet Insurance canceled his coverage, claiming he was behind in payments. But Norm wasn’t refusing to pay — he was literally in the hospital fighting for his life and unable to call them.
No accommodations. No flexibility. No compassion.
This isn’t just poor service. It’s a direct failure of accessibility and basic human decency.
📢 Why This Matters
Norm isn’t asking for special treatment. He’s asking for equal treatment.
- Disabled people deserve accessible communication options — like email, text, or relay services.
- Seniors on fixed incomes should not be punished while in recovery from major health events.
- Service animals are not pets — they are essential healthcare aids.
- Insurance companies profiting from vulnerable people while denying coverage when it’s needed most is morally wrong.
🛑 This Must Stop
To Fetch Pet Insurance, we ask:
- Why don’t you offer accessible support for deaf and disabled clients?
- Why did you cancel coverage for a senior who was hospitalized and physically unable to respond?
- What are you doing to ensure this never happens again?
To the BC Government, disability advocates, service dog organizations, animal welfare groups, and legal professionals:
👉 This man needs your help NOW.
He should not have to fight alone.
This is a wake-up call. We know how broken these systems are — many of us have fought and lost through tribunals, complaint forms, and appeals that go nowhere. So let’s be realistic: change won’t come from within unless we raise our voices together.
✊ How You Can Help
🔸 Share this story.
🔸 Tag Fetch and ask why they don’t offer accessible customer service.
🔸 Reach out to disability rights organizations and animal advocacy groups.
🔸 If you’re a lawyer, advocate, or someone with experience in these matters — please step up.
Norm shouldn’t have to beg for fairness.
📸 Norm and Bear are not just another sad story — they are a mirror to our society’s failures and a call to do better.
Are we listening??
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