Welcome back to our Volunteer of the Month series – where we shine a light on our fantastic volunteers and the amazing work they do for us.

This month, we speak to Abi Watson, one of our wonderful dog fosterers who care for our dogs over the weekend and longer term care when needed. Here Abi shares in her own words the experience of volunteering with Canine Partners.

The perfect role for us

We first became aware of Canine Partners and the possibility of becoming a weekend fosterer when a friend shared a post on Facebook.  We looked into it and realised that it was the perfect role for us to apply for.

My husband, David, had always grown up with dogs and we would love to have a dog of our own, but we both work full time so it wouldn’t be fair on the dog.  This way we could have the best of both worlds.  Our girls Charlotte and Isla (10 and eight) get the experience of having a dog in the house and all of the fun that goes with it!

We first applied in June 2015 and following our home visit and had our first foster dog Brenda at the end of August.  Since then we have long term fostered four other dogs and done weekend cover for a further 10.

No dog is the same

All of the dogs are unique and have their own wonderful personalities.  We love the fact that we get to see the changes in the dogs over their training period and how their skills develop, whilst they still keep their own individual traits.

It’s great to be able to take the dogs out for walks after we’ve had them a number of weeks and we love nothing more than a family evening with one of the dogs snuggled down at our feet.

Doing more for the charity

For the last year I have volunteered to help the advanced trainers at the Midlands centre coordinate fosterers for the dogs in advanced training.

This is a role I throughly enjoy as it means that I have got to know a lot of fellow fosterers and also get to see the progress of all of the dogs entering advanced training and leaving as fully fledged canine partners.

Fostering has led us to want to do all we can to help raise funds for Canine Partners and to do this I have joined the East Midlands Community fundraising group. I try to attend as many events as I can to raise funds and awareness for Canine Partners. My husband even did Ride London for the charity and raised £1,800! Our girls also get involved and have helped run a stall at their Brownies groups.

Canine Partners has really become a charity that is now part of our family’s way of life …. I’m sure I drive my friends and colleagues crazy telling them about and sharing photos of our wonderful weekend house guests!

Why you should join the Purple Army, too!

I would not hesitate to recommend volunteering for Canine Partners. As a family we have loved every minute of being a foster family for dogs in advanced training.

It gives us the opportunity to have a dog at a time that suits us. It has also meant that our girls are becoming more aware about the difficulties that others face and this gives them a real drive to help the dogs become the best partners that they can.

Everyone within the charity has made us so welcome that you really feel part of the team.

> Find out about becoming a fosterer for dogs