Canine Partners

I have had Multiple Sclerosis (MS) for the past 20 or more years and I have been using a wheelchair for the last three years. I had significant blood clots in my right leg three years ago, but up until that point I was using a scooter and crutches as mobility aids and I was able to walk around a bit.

My symptoms include involuntary spasms in my legs and arms which causes pain in my whole body, especially my legs, arms and skin. I get muscle fatigue and I currently have tears in my bicep muscles and a frozen shoulder. I try to independently transfer from my bed to my wheelchair, but in the last few months I’ve been struggling because of the progressive nature of my illness.

At the time of my diagnosis I was in the police force and for the first ten years after I was diagnosed it was actually okay and I carried on working. I then had to retire early on the grounds of ill-health because of the MS – and I couldn’t catch criminals in a wheelchair or using crutches! The year before I retired I was awarded Police Officer of the Year as I had been fully active in my role up until then. I now work for Citizens Advice three days a week in Wellingborough and I also volunteer as a bereavement counsellor in Bedford.

Before my canine partner, Velo, I was increasingly asking my wife, Keeley, and my ten-year-old son, George, to do things for me, such as picking things up and opening doors. I was gradually asking them for more and more support. I didn’t like to ask for help as I’ve been very physical throughout my life and even since being diagnosed with MS I have done several endurance challenges. The last challenge I did was a 100km trek across the Himalayas 12 years ago, which was back when I was using crutches rather than in a wheelchair. After eight days of climbing I started to struggle, but on the way back down it was so exhilarating I didn’t feel like I had MS at all. Previously, I also took part in the London to Brighton Bike Ride, a cross country marathon, and the Three Peaks Challenge.

After being so active, turning into someone who had to rely on other people did not come naturally. I was ferociously independent. To then have to ask my wife and my boy to do things for me was very difficult. They do it willingly, but it was hard for me to even have to ask. I would rather spend ten times longer trying to pick something up that I have dropped than ask for help.

Discovering Canine Partners

I discovered Canine Partners as I was the chair of Bedfordshire Police Disability Awareness Network, where I was supporting police officers and staff who had family members with disabilities. Through that, I met someone with a canine partner who told me all about the charity.

Waiting for a canine partner was very emotional. It took about 18 months for them to find me a match, but I understood that it had to be the right dog for me. I felt like there was a lot of pressure and importance being placed on this cute bundle of fluff and that he was going to give me my life back, or at least enable me to start on a different journey.

Meeting Velo

Meeting my canine partner for the first time was amazing. I thought it would take a long time to match a dog with my sense of humour, but then I got the call about Velo. It was important for us to go and meet Velo as a family, so my wife and my son came along too. We absolutely fell in love with him.

To have Velo by my side all the time is absolutely brilliant. I miss him when he’s not with me – he’s a great buddy. Within the first few weeks of being home with Velo, in a very cold November, I fell off the bed. Velo went to get the house phone for me, but when he brought it to me I realised my wife’s number wasn’t saved in the phone. He went back and got my mobile phone for me too – he knows the difference between them and knows them by name. It’s remarkable.

Life with Velo

Velo can pick up clothes and put them in the washing basket, put my legs into the bed, and tug my clothes off.  He can undo Velcro on my shoes and he loves pulling socks off – I don’t wear them anymore so occasionally I’ll get him to take off my son’s! He also knows the command ‘leave it’ as I often drop my tablets when I’m spasming, which means he won’t try and get them for me. He can also get things off the shelf for me when we go shopping and can get my printing out of the printer at work.

I feel so much more secure with him – bearing in mind I’m not a timid person, but now if I drop my keys I know he’ll pick them up for me straight away and I won’t be stuck without my keys until a person can help me. I hadn’t been on a train for many years, I had always shied away from it, but together with Velo and my family we went on a train journey to London. It was amazing and Velo was so well behaved. He’s always there ready to help me.

Velo has given me back my relationship with my boy and my wife. It has stopped them from being my carers. Asking Velo to do things for me gives me my freedom back. It’s given me more confidence and self-esteem. I don’t mind asking Velo as he enjoys doing it so much.

MS by nature is a progressive illness and since being partnered with Velo I have deteriorated even more, but it’s so lovely to know I’m not alone with him by my side. It’s just wonderful and he makes me laugh – especially when it’s dinner time as he’s a true Labrador when it comes to food!

Velo loves going to work with me and everybody there loves him. On the odd occasion that I haven’t planned on taking him with me, he will jump in the van and look at me as if to say ‘I’m coming with you’. We go on many adventures together and will continue to do so. We went to see The Lion King in London and he loved it. He also loves going to the cinema and to restaurants. We’ve been to Harry Potter World and he pushed the trolley though the wall, which was great fun.

I don’t want to imagine my life without Velo. I love him to bits and so do my family – my son even call’s Velo his brother and they have a beautiful relationship. Velo is very expressive and attentive. He’s a godsend.