Our most recent news, stories and updates
Meet the ‘Muggles’ training to become assistance dogs
“It’s a perfect partnership. We’re looking for a dog to train, and the dog is looking for a new home.
Jerry Awarded PDSA Order of Merit
PTSD Assistance dog, Jerry, received the PDSA Order of Merit in July 2022 for helping to transform Veterans’ lives. The PDSA
Not Waving But Drowning
There is no doubt that there have been some ground breaking changes within Policing in regards to wellbeing and the consideration
A Veteran’s Story: Lee & Rio
When I first met Rio, he was a cheeky, thieving and potentially stubborn dog. However, he was clearly very intelligent and
Emergency Services Show 2022
We will be at the Emergency Services Show at the NEC Birmingham on 21st and 22nd September 2022 Come and
Spring Into Action
The first day of Spring is Sunday 20th March, so let’s get active! Get outside with family, friends, colleagues and of course
The Empower Family Group Charity of the Year goes to…
Fundraising is vital to supporting us and we are proud to be nominated as The Empower Family Group’s charity of
Dorset Freemasons Support Service Dogs UK
We are hugely grateful to Dorset Freemasons for their generous donation of £1,000 to our South West Hub. Read the
Beau Gives Me A Reason To Get Out Of Bed
I joined the RLC (Royal Logistic Corp) more or less straight from school as a dopey 16 year old lad from
Service Dog Ollie Has Transformed My Life
It took me a long time to realise and accept that I had PTSD. I joined the army in 1985,
Service Dogs UK becomes first PTSD Assistance Dog Charity in the UK to achieve Accreditation by Assistance Dogs International!
ADI is the leading authority in the Assistance Dogs industry. It establishes and promotes standards of excellence in all areas of
A Year To Remember
This week it’s a year since my first session with Service Dogs UK & the first day I met Milo.
Three More Newly Accredited Partnerships
We are delighted to announce another 3 accredited partnerships! Despite the difficulties caused by COVID these partnerships were able to
BEM Award – Queen’s Birthday Honours
We are extremely proud of Kerry Snuggs, founder of the charity ‘Acts Of Kindness’, on being awarded a British Empire
A Partner’s Perspective – Part 2
Stu is a loving father and husband, he has a wicked sense of humour and is kind and compassionate (well
Fostering for Service Dogs UK
This last year has been a very strange one for everyone in so many ways, and I’m sure most people
RAF Personnel Deployed In the Middle East Support Service Dogs UK
Whilst deployed on operations in the Middle East, Royal Air Force personnel have raised important funds, via Just Giving and by
A Partner’s Perspective
When I was asked to write something from the perspective of a partner of someone with PTSD and the impact
High Sheriff of West Sussex meets Service Dogs UK
High Sheriff of West Sussex Dr Tim Fooks, in his weekly briefing, talks to Service Dogs UK about how it
Changing Lives, Two At A Time
Read the life changing story of James & Dakota, an accredited partnership of our PTSD Assistance Dogs Programme, who are
From RAF Swinderby to Assistance Dog Partnership
We are proud to have the wonderful partnership of Dave & Logi on our PTSD Assistance Dogs Programme, who are featured
Could you be a ‘Fab Foster’….?
Read our story about Ollie and his foster family. We are currently looking for ‘Fab Fosters’ in West Sussex. If
Newly Accredited Partnerships
In spite of COVID-19 we have had FOUR partnerships pass their Public Access Course and are now officially Accredited Partnerships!
Furever Friends – Transforming PTSD Lives
Calling all our supporters! Visit the Aviva Community Fund webpage! Please sponsor us and/or share as widely as possible,
A dog blog – from Beau!
Hello, my name is Beau I am a Labrador cross puppy. I am here to support my Veteran who has PTSD, we
Research Project: Shaping Interspecies Connectedness
Service Dogs UK is proud to be part of this research to better understand the experience of training and
Breaking News!
Our Somerset hub will be open very soon! If you feel you would benefit from an assistance dog, visit our
Fundraising Update
Our work is only possible through your generosity, kindness and passion to help us make the change for veterans and
TRT World: “Dogs Rescuing People from PTSD”
TRT World meets Paul and Dezi to explore and highlight how Dezi has changed Paul’s life, following his PTSD
Furever Friends
Meet our latest dogs, who are working hard to bring light and love to their Veterans, having lots of
Love found its way through the ‘lockdown’ for our new Partnership, Katherine and Ben!
“PTSD gradually drained almost every bit of life from me. I had nothing left to fight with, nothing left of
Could you raise 5k to take a dog and Veteran on a life changing journey?
Rescue a dog – help a Veteran! Help us transform both the life of a rescue dog and a Veteran
Proud Veterans pass their Assistance Dog Partnership Test!
Our wonderful veterans Rene and Mick are pictured here with their dogs Alisha and Hudson, having successfully completed their Public
Introducing Logi – Our New Assistance Dog in Training!
Logi is a black Lab x from Dogs Trust in Newbury. He is bright as a button and loves cuddles!
Dezi looks noble as he smashes his retest!
Dezi and Paul completed their annual retest and were excellent! Following the test Dezi posed for the camera to show
Ajax – Our First Assistance Dog
Ajax, our first ever Assistance Dog, popped in on a training session with his partner Lee. Their 4 years together has
An insight into our training programme
How you can make the difference! There are many ways you can make a difference to veterans of the
Paul & Dezi: PTSD Assistance Dog Team
Paul and Dezi recently graduated as a PTSD Assistance Dog Team and gave us some feedback which we love to
Steven & Colt – PTSD Assistance Dog Partnership
Please meet our recently graduated PTSD Assistance Dog Teams… Steven, an emergency services veteran and Colt who originally was a
Graduation of Steven & Colt and Paul & Dezi
We had a FANTASTIC weekend graduating 2 more PTSD Assistance Dog teams! Earlier this month Steven, Emergency Services Veteran and
Dezi is partnered with Police Officer Paul
You might have seen Dezi, a lab-cross from Dogs Trust, a few times on our social media and we have
Major News! We’re an Official Candidate of ADEu – ADI
As some of you might know we have always had very clear aims for the Charity, from when we started
High Sheriff Comes to Visit!
We had a lovely visit from the High Sheriff, Caroline Nicholls, of West Sussex at one of our training sessions. It gave
Sgt. Stubby – an Unlikely Hero – our partnership!
We feel very honoured to be one of the charity partners of this wonderful family-friendly movie. Sgt. Stubby is an
Colt has found his match in Steven
Very handsome Colt has been partnered with Steven, an Emergency Services veteran. Colt now lives with Steven and his family
Winner of Animal Partnership Award – Soldiering On Awards ’18
Thanks to all of you we were the Winner of the Animal Partnership Awards, sponsored by Pets At Home, which
We’re finalists for the Soldiering on Awards!
We had some amazing news this week… The Soldiering On Awards have listed Service Dogs UK and one of our
3 PTSD Assistance Dog Teams graduate!
We had a FANTASTIC weekend graduating 3 more PTSD Assistance Dog teams! On Friday Shaun and Cassie were put through
Lee’s Roller Disco!
A true Feel Good Friday Message from Lee: Roller Disco’s Lee went with his sons (8 & 9 years) and
Welcome Colt
Welcome Colt to team Service Dogs UK! He’s … handsome, stunning, cheeky, loves to learn, has seriously good looking legs and
The Difference Our PTSD Assistance Dogs Make
As a charity we ask for regular feedback from our Veterans on how they are finding life and the programme
Fostering – Can you make ALL the difference?
Fostering is absolutely vital to our organisation; this is really where YOU can make the difference to both a dog
The reality of PTSD by a veteran
“To awake from a nightmare frightened, sweating and disorientated in the dark, It is not thirty years ago, of trying
From Rescue to PTSD Assistance Dogs (Benny & Bella)
Service Dogs UK, are pleased to announce that another 2 veteran/assistance dog partnerships graduated this weekend! Steve with Benny and
Shaun & Cassie on Channel4
As part of the SuperVet – Animal Rescue Special, Channel4 visited us for an item that was featured on the
Do’s & Don’t of Supporting Someone with PTSD
Be a friend and a true support. Part of the stigma of PTSD is that because you cannot see it,
The Rules of Engagement around PTSD Assistance Dogs & Guardians
One of the beautiful things about PTSD Assistance Dogs is that they allow their Guardians a new lease of life.
Forces TV… we were on it!
We are delighted that Forces TV (BFBS) did a TV item on us, with interviews with 2 of our veterans
A living hell no longer – My life has changed because of Bella
We received this from Terry one of our veterans on the programme, Terry is an Army veteran (pictured with Bella
Magical Monkeys – A story of PTSD & toe nibbling
Benny, is a very special rescue doggy; the words that spring to mind with this glorious dog bottled sunshine, cheeky
From Rescue to PTSD Assistance Dogs (Ajax & Jerry)
Service Dogs UK are pleased to announce that 2 of their PTSD veteran/assistance dog partnerships graduated this weekend! Lee, is
Benny.. one wonderful hound!
Meet our latest recruit… Benny! A lovely mutley from Dogs Trust. This little, rather cheeky, fella has passed all our
Ajax is my lifesaver by veteran Lee
A message & photo from Lee, one of our veterans on the programme, who had an utterly amazing day yesterday!
Interview with Dog Cast Radio
A lovely interview with Julie Hill of Dog Cast Radio, where co-founder Judith speaks to Julie about Service Dogs UK.
One Year On… and Meet Mark & Jerry
Last year on this day, 09/03/15, we set out with lots of ideas, plans and a hope we would have
Veteran Applications open for West Sussex, Surrey and East & North Hampshire
We are currently calling for veteran applications from West Sussex, Surrey or East & North Hampshire to take part in our PTSD
Ajax has passed and found his veteran!
Great news! Ajax has passed his four-week residential assessment with flying colours, he loves learning. We feel delighted and extremely
You Made it Possible – Meet Ajax
Through your generosity in terms of donations, we have been able to select our very FIRST rescue dog. Please meet
Sharing is Caring & Gezelligheid
Garry’s final stop in his PTSD research & assistance dogs took him to The Netherlands, Amstelveen to be precise where I
Washington Post (card)
In the final leg of my USA visit I headed to Washington DC. I had left my heart in San
Southern Comfort
Having made it via Dallas to Columbia, South Carolina, I visited Palmetto Animal Assisted Life Services (PAALS) where I met
The Power of Pawsitivity!
Having picked up my ‘stallion’ a Ford Mustang convertible that I nicknamed ‘Sally’ I set off on the fabulously scenic
What a difference a dog makes!
During the last two weeks I have been completing the the ‘client’ course at Bergin University of Canine Studies. While
‘Home of the Service Dog’ USA
So here I am at Bergin University of Canine Studies in California. The widely recognised ‘Home of the Service Dog‘
The Start of a Journey
Winston Churchill spoke eloquently about life’s journey. It is fitting then, as the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust has made this
Organisations that can help you now
A very brief list of organisations that can help you now if you are struggling and need support or just
PTSD Poem by Edge
The moon is bright And Yes, I’m still awake it will soon be light As we head towards daybreak Did
Winston Churchill Memorial Trust PTSD Research
Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Fellowship Awarded to Sergeant Garry Botterill Sussex Police in February 2015 for PTSD Research Garry’s Statement:
BFBS Radio Interview
We were delighted to get a radio interview with British Forces Broadcasting Service, BFBS, to tell more about what we are