Canine Partners turns 30 years old next year and we need our wonderful supporters to help us celebrate!

Simply send a horizontal selfie video, that is no longer than one minute long, of yourself (like the one below) saying one sentence starting with ‘I love Canine Partners because…’

Send your selfie video to socialmedia@caninepartners.org.uk by Tuesday 31 December 2019 for the chance to be featured in a special 30^th Anniversary video in 2020.

If your video is too large to send in an email, please try sending it by wetransfer.com to the email address above.

Terms and Conditions

• By sending your video to us, you are giving us permission to use it for Marketing and PR purposes online and in print.
• We may not be able to use all the videos we receive as part of the special 30^th Anniversary video but we will keep them for possible future use.
• We can only accept videos for inclusion up to Tuesday 31 December 2019.
• Please don’t swear or use any offensive language

New kennels are currently being built at our Midlands Training Centre near Osgathorpe, Leicestershire, meaning our dogs-in-training need to go to local foster homes each night while the building work is completed. The dogs are about 14 months old when they begin their advanced training, and we urgently need bed and breakfast fosterers to take on this rewarding role and to play an important part in contributing to transforming the life of someone living with physical disabilities.

Here is Rachel’s story. She is a volunteer B&B fosterer who has just finished fostering her 14^th dog, Johnnie.

Rachel has been volunteering as an overnight (B&B) fosterer since 2016, and has just finished fostering Johnnie, an 18-month-old Labrador x Golden Retriever. Fosterers typically tend to foster the same dog for a full 17 weeks during their advanced training, to ensure the dog has some continuity, familiarity and is settled.

One of the reasons that Rachel decided to volunteer was the loss of her wonderful black Labrador, Murphy, back in 2014. He was 16 years old and left a huge hole in their family. Rachel said:

“We were devastated and said we could never put ourselves through that type of loss again. However, a couple of years on we desperately missed having a dog around but still didn’t feel we were ready to commit to having another dog of our own. We have a busy work and family life, so we aren’t in a position to have our own dog. We researched Canine Partners and the amazing work they did, which led to us learning that they needed volunteers to foster their incredible dogs in training. For us this was an easy decision, we got our dog fix without the full-time commitment and at the same time we could help a charity we believed in. As they say, the rest is history!”

On describing a typical day as a B&B fosterer, Rachel said:

“Most dogs just fit in with you as you go about your day; they follow you about to see what you are up to or just chill out on their bed. If it’s a working day for the dog, then we drop them off at the Midlands Training Centre in the morning and pick them up at the end of the day. They then come back home for playtime, dinner and to just chill out. When they’re with us it’s their time to rest and recuperate, we don’t do any training with them.”

Rachel describes her experience as a fosterer as “One of the most rewarding things I have ever done. To watch the dog grow and develop over the 17 weeks they are with us is fantastic, and to think that you have played a part in that is very humbling. We have learnt so much from the fantastic trainers and met some wonderful people.”

Become a B&B fosterer like Rachel

B&B fosterers must live close to the Midlands Training Centre and, preferably, be able to drop their foster dog off every morning and pick them up in the evening. Our other requirements are that you must be aged 18 or over, have a secure garden, have suitable transport and, preferably, be able to commit to caring for a dog for the duration of their 17-week training program. You will also need to have the stamina to manage an active dog. All equipment, such as beds, bowls, toys and food, will be provided by the Charity.

To find out more about becoming a B&B fosterer, please email fostermidlands2@caninepartners.org.uk or visit caninepartners.org.uk/fosterparents/ for more information.

Zoe Maclean was partnered with Remus in April 2011, and the pair have had a number of exciting adventures including being part of the Queen’s baton relay before Glasgow’s staging of the Commonwealth Games in 2014.

On 28 April 2019, 34-year-old Zoe from Fairlie, Scotland and her mum Barbara, along with family friend Frances took on the Glasgow Kiltwalk. Their goal was to raise vital funds so that more people can benefit from a life-transforming canine partner like Remus. Here is Zoe’s fundraising story:

I was very keen to support Canine Partners in doing this challenge as I have Remus who is my canine partner. I was partnered with Remus in April 2011 and he has been by my side ever since.

He has helped me gain so much confidence and self-belief. He really has transformed my life beyond belief. I would be lost without him. I am so grateful to Canine Partners.

I have participated in and helped to organise a number of events for Canine Partners in the past, however, this time I wanted to take on a more personal challenge to say thank you to Remus and to Canine Partners.

I decided to take part in the Glasgow Kiltwalk 2019 alongside my mum Barbara and our friend Frances. Together we formed Team Remus. Remus even joined us for the last section of the walk so we could cross the finish line together!

We are still collecting some of the money but so far we have raised a total of £882.90. I know that whatever amount of money is raised will help Canine Partners towards achieving their mission of training amazing assistance dogs.

My hope is that Team Remus can raise enough to purchase a puppy to help transform the life of another disabled person as Remus has done for me.

A huge thank you to Team Remus from everybody at Canine Partners for their fabulous fundraising.

Would you like to raise life-changing funds?

We need your help. From taking on a challenge to baking cakes, there are plenty of ways to help raise vital funds. Visit our Fundraising page for inspiration >

On a sunny Easter morning, Jenni and canine partner LBE, as well as volunteer Bev were invited to the Boundless CSM Association to talk about the work that we do and to thank the group for their generous donations, explaining what a difference those donations will make to the future of a person living with physical disabilities.

The Portsmouth-based group had already raised a fantastic £500 for us previously but invited us back to pick up a cheque for another £500 they had raised through more fundraising activities.

The cheque presentation took place at their annual caravan rally at Marwell. A huge thank you from all of us at Canine Partners for Boundless CSM Association’s amazing efforts in raising vital funds to transform lives.

Would your staff like to make a real difference?

Visit our Corporate Support pages for inspiration on how your organisation can get involved with Canine Partners and help us match more amazing dogs with disabled people.