Warwick Rotarians heard from Anna Prosser a volunteer with Dogs for Good. This charity was established in Kenilworth in 1988, and trains dogs to support people affected by disability, dementia, autism, mental health challenges and other conditions to live happier, healthier, and more independent lives.

Dogs for Good breed and train dogs through their centre in Banbury and in 2024  35 dogs were partnered with someone who will receive their “life-changing devotion”. These are dogs that open doors, that connect people and bring families together. For the people they support the dogs actually make life possible. They get people up, get them out, get them to school and work, meet people and help them to feel free. Over time the charity has helped more than 2,000 families supported by a team of staff and 650 volunteers.

The census shows that over 17 million people in the UK are living with a disability and this leaves many feeling isolated and unable to achieve their potential. There are now over 7,000 people who rely on an assistance dogs, but many more are needed.

We were all familiar with Guide Dogs for the Blind, and there are also “Hearing Dogs” and “Medical Protection Dogs, but some disabilities are not obvious to other people and a dog can be an emotional anchor. Dogs can provide a calming presence to a child with autism, or someone with dementia, and will sit by or lie on a person who is distressed to  keep them calm.

Dogs for Good are looking for people to be a Puppy Socialiser, which involves homing a Puppy for 18 months and undertaking it’s early education until they are ready to be partnered with someone. If you are interested take a look at their website: www.dogsforgood.org.uk.

Anna gave several examples of their dogs in action, it costs £4,312 for their basic training, and over £11,000 for Advanced training amounting to £25,000 over a lifetime. Thanking Anna for her presentation President Dick Dixon gave a donation on behalf of the club towards their work.