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Dogs To Help The Disabled More Needed

January 21, 2013


Dogs To Help The Disabled More Needed Dogs To Help The Disabled: More Needed From switching on lights to flushing the loo, assistance dogs carry out a multitude of tasks – but there are not enough of them. The number of British troops injured in Afghanistan who are applying for assistance dogs has contributed to a severe shortage of the trained animals. The dogs are trained to help with a range of practical tasks both inside and outside the home, like switching on lights, fetching the phone, picking up items from the floor, unloading the washing machine, collecting the post, and flushing the toilet. Cerebral Palsy sufferer Lorna Marsh, 34, was unable to do any of these things until Canine Partners matched her with Eli. Eli – a cross between a Labrador and a Golden Retriever – carries out approximately 306 different tasks for Lorna, and his training has been specifically tailored to her needs. Ms Marsh told Sky News: “He's my best friend. He's the door to independence, to a level I never thought I was going to reach. He means the absolute world to me because he means I can do more stuff on my own, which, as a disabled person, is gold dust. “I never thought I'd be able to do half the stuff I'm doing and I never thought I'd be able to feel as close to Eli as I do. “I think every disabled person who wants an assistance dog has the right to apply for one and see how far they get. It's just really sad that money gets in the way of somebody being that little bit more independent than they were before,” she said. Over the course of its life, each assistance dog costs

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