Veterans With Dogs

Meet Millie.

Millie and her veteran partner have passed their Partner Animal Life Skills (PALS) Level Two this week and it won’t be long before they pass the final stage and move on to assessment to become a fully qualified Assistance Dog partnership.

Millie and her veteran joined our training through the ‘Owner Trained’ route where, subject to a set of criteria, a veteran can join the training programme with their own dog.

You can read further details about the Owner Trained route on our website site here: https://lnkd.in/eWqeZ2mT

We are excited to welcome Emma Louise Walklett to our small, but mighty, Veterans With Dogs staff team this week.

With over 21 years working in the NHS and with a strong background in organisation, communications, and supporting people, Emma has joined us as our new Fundraising and Volunteer Coordinator. This vital role will support the busy day-to-day operations as demand for Assistance Dogs continues to grow, and we want to be able to support more veterans experiencing mental health challenges.

We extend our huge thanks to the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust for funding this role through their recent 'RISE' funding grant.

A big thank you to Mike and his best friend Teddy, who dropped into our Exeter HQ today with a generous donation for Veterans With Dogs.

Mike regularly attends military events with his ex-military vehicle, helping to raise awarenesss and funds for the work we do with veterans across the UK.

It was wonderful to catch up with Mike and Teddy in person and to hear more about their incredible fundraising plans and commitment to promoting our charity. We are incredibly grateful for their enthusiasm, dedication and ongoing support.

Thank you Mike and Teddy!

Last week, we welcomed six veterans and their assistance dogs at various stages of training to ANRÁN : Luxury Boutique Accommodation in Devon, who kindly let us use their beautiful venue for our training (thank you Anran!).

During the week, they gained confidence in their partnerships, learned new techniques, and practiced mechanisms with their assistance dogs to manage their mental health.

Our residentials are a key component of our Partner Animal Life Skills (PALS) courses, guiding veterans and their assistance dogs through increasing stages of ability until they qualify as fully accredited assistance dog partnerships.

We are so proud of all our attendees, both two and four-legged!

Introducing the All Blacks! No, not the New Zealand rugby team!

By sheer coincidence, we have six* delightful all-black Labradors at our residential this week. A mix of male and female dogs, all aged one year and older, and they are not related.

In addition to our training sessions for veterans and their dogs, we prioritise allowing the dogs to have fun, let off steam, and play. Enrichment is crucial to our program and is a key component of what we teach. This not only benefits the dogs but also enhances the bond between the veterans and their canine partners.

These Labradors are truly a stunning bunch! Any suggestions for a collective term for black Labradors?

*We know there are only five in the photo. You try getting six black labs to sit still at the same time!

What do our Puppy Socialisers do?

Before one of our Assistance Dogs can change a veteran's life, they first need to learn how to navigate the world with confidence.

Our volunteer Puppy Socialisers welcome a puppy into their home for around 12–18 months and help them experience everyday life from cafés, shops, public transport, school runs, office environments, and everything in between.

They're not expected to be dog trainers. They're helping our puppies develop into calm, confident dogs ready for the next stage of their journey.

Without our Puppy Socialisers, there would be no assistance dogs.

Thank you to every family who opens their home to one of our future life-changers. We are always looking for more Puppy Socialisers so if you think that could be you, have a look on our website - https://lnkd.in/eA_8UiwS or get in touch for a chat.

Our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of all of the Armed Forces personnel who have lost their lives recently, with some close to our HQ in Devon.

The Armed Forces and Veteran community is a strong family and these loses are felt by us all.

We recently welcomed some of our incredible supporters for tea and Devonshire scones at beautiful Cadhay House in Ottery-St-Mary (thank you Cadhay House!), as a big thank you for their amazing support to Veterans With Dogs.

Set against the stunning backdrop of Cadhay's beautiful gardens, our supporters heard from staff, trustees, and puppy socialisers about our work to assist veterans facing mental health challenges. We were also delighted to introduce some of our pups in their socialisation phase, showcasing the positive impact of our supporters' contributions.

Our work to support veterans with mental health challenges relies entirely on voluntary donations and the generosity of our funders. Every grant, donation, fundraising challenge, and partnership plays a crucial role in fuelling our work, and we are immensely grateful to all of our supporters. Thank you.

East Devon Law Veterans' Foundation D3IP Agria Pet Insurance Forthglade Natural Pet Food Focus Foundation Forces Support Aylesbury ADI - Assistance Dogs International Assistance Dogs UK
Veterans Can Devon County Royal British Legion Army Benevolent Fund Veterans and Reserve Forces Network at easyJet Forces Support Wokingham Forces Support Carterton British Modern Military History Society BMMHS Marldon's Wonky Donkey Shanty Group

Wow, wow, wow!

Leanne Chappell certainly had a perfect day for jumping out of a plane!

A huge thank you to Leanne for taking on a skydive challenge to raise vital funds for Veterans With Dogs, in memory of her brother-in-law Lee.

“Lee was a paratrooper in the 1st Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (Pte Grant). After 5 years of service, Lee battled with his own mental health but found strength and comfort from his beloved dog, Dash. It is a pleasure to raise money for Veterans With Dogs to give other veterans the chance to have a dog change their life and give them purpose, calm, and routine.”

Leanne has raised a whopping £1,100 towards our work which is fantastic. Thank you Leanne!

Think you’re up to a skydive? Get in touch!