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became a full-time wheelchair user. Yvonne “Purdy, my amazing assistance dog gives me so
felt she was less able to care for her children much in so many ways – it’s almost too much to
in the way she wanted and this was extremely put into words. Not only does she help me on a
difficult to come to terms with. She explains, practical level like helping to retrieve items I’ve
“As I declined physically, my mental health dropped or can’t reach, bringing the phone and
deteriorated too.” lots of other tasks I simply can’t do on my own,
but she helps me emotionally too. My confidence
“One day I decided to go out to post a letter. It has skyrocketed since having an assistance
took a lot of mental and physical effort to do. dog.”
As I reached the post box I dropped the letter. I
couldn’t reach it so I asked a passer-by if he’d Purdy goes everywhere with Yvonne. From
pick it up for me. He looked at me, then looked the local shops to days out on the train, Purdy
away and carried on walking. That image will even accompanies her when she goes to choir
stay with me for the rest of my life. I felt invisible. and she is welcomed with open arms at the Girl
Afterwards I didn’t go out if it meant interacting Guiding club where Yvonne helps out. You might
with anyone I didn’t know.” say that she’s a bit of a celebrity!

When Yvonne realized that her youngest teenage Dogs for Good receives over 5,000 enquiries
daughter was reluctant to go out because she each year from people desperate for support
was too worried to leave her mum alone; Yvonne from a specially trained dog. To find out
took action. She researched the support that more about how you can support them by
was available for families with disabilities and making a donation, volunteering or taking on
came across Dogs for Good. Yvonne applied for a fundraising challenge,
an assistance dog, when she got the news that
she’d been matched with a dog she was over the visit www.dogsforgood.org.
moon.

THREE WAYS TO HELP DOGS FOR GOOD CONTINUE TO DO GOOD

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LIFE CHANGING DEVOTION

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K9 NEWS DIGITAL / JULY 2020