FEATURES and live again…
The programme takes between 9-12 months to get the dog to assistance dog standard, after which the ‘team’ need to pass the Assistance Dogs International public access test to become a fully- fl edged assistance dog partnership. In this period Mark has two-weekly training sessions plus homework. As co-founder Judith Broug said “It requires real commitment, however, the routine, the sense of purpose and being part of a team that changes your life for the better is extremely empowering”.
“Ajax enabled me to fi nd a way to accept love as an emotion again”
Another Army and Fire Service veteran on the programme, Lee, is also experiencing positive life changes because of training, bonding and living with his dog Ajax. Lee says: “Ajax enabled me to fi nd a way to accept love as an emotion again”. For anyone with emotional numbness due to
their PTSD this is a big step. For him, in seven years of various therapies nothing “worked”, Ajax, however, is giving him a new sense of purpose and is a constant companion to help him through dark times.
The dogs, are mainly selected from rescue centres and assessed before they are partnered with their veteran to establish whether they have the right characteristics to become an assistance dog and would enjoy ‘the job’. Once partnered, the dog is taught how to help a veteran with fl ashbacks, how to ‘ground’ a veteran, wake someone from a nightmare or provide a barrier for someone suffering from anxiety in a public place.
Currently Service Dogs UK operates in West Sussex, Surrey and East & North Hampshire and applications are open to veterans with PTSD who have served in Armed Forces, Emergency Services, Coastguard (MCA) and RNLI.
To find out more: Go on their website:
servicedogsuk.org
Mark and his assistance dog in training, Jerry. .
www.raf-ff.org.uk
Summer 2016
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