(Updated 8/7/01)

Support dogs 100 not out!

SUPPORT DOGS, the unique Sheffield-based charity that trains dogs to alert their owners to imminent epileptic seizures is celebrating the qualification of ‘Caley’, its 100th qualified dog.

Caley, a Belgian Shepherd is a seizure alert dog belonging to Tony Brown-Griffin. He is specially trained to detect an imminent seizure in his owner and give her a warning. Support Dogs has pioneered the training of Seizure Alert dogs and no other organisation in the world is known to train dogs for this purpose.

Support Dogs also trains dogs to assist and support owners with physical disabilities. No charge is made to the disabled person, and all the dogs are registered Assistance Dogs, which means they can accompany their owners at all times.

The charity was founded in 1992 by training manager Val Strong, and is sponsored by Purina Pro Plan, the complete dog food from Ralston Purina. Purina Pro Plan provides reflective clothing for the dogs as well as other materials.

Over the next few months Purina Pro Plan will be helping Support Dogs to develop a high quality newsletter and helping to provide clothing for the staff, allowing the charity to spend money on the training and provision of dogs rather than on everyday items. Next year sees the 10th anniversary of Support Dogs, Purina will help them celebrate this momentous event.

Val says “Next year is the tenth anniversary of Support Dogs and we are proud and delighted to have already trained 100 dogs to assist people with disabilities across the country. These dogs really make a difference to the everyday lives of their owners.