Devoted Dottie is a dog in a million (From Stroud News and Journal)

Devoted Dottie is a dog in a million

WHEN Louise Jeffreys, a 21-year-old student with cerebral palsy heard about Dogs for the Disabled she applied for a four-legged helper immediately. Four years later, Dottie a black Labrador walked into Louise's life and transformed it. Linda Diggory went to see Dottie in action with Louise at Hartpury College. This is the story of their exceptional partnership.

THEY are a familiar sight around Stroud. Wherever Louise Jeffrey goes in her wheelchair her furry black shadow Dottie the Labrador is never far behind.

The dynamic duo are inseparable and in the space of six short months Louise's life has been radically changed by her four-legged partner.

Dottie helps her to dress, runs messages for her at college and now plays such an important role in Louise's life she doesn't know how she managed without her.

Dottie offers the sort of independence Louise could only dream about before the bouncy black bundle walked into her life.

And the friendly Labrador with the ever wagging tail and friendly disposition has lived up to all Louise's expectations.

She first heard about Dogs for the Disabled during a trip to a Guide Dogs for the Blind Centre in Exeter. After discovering that dogs could help disabled people Louise realised that a trained dog would help her enormously with her daily routine.

"I applied for a dog straight away," said Louise. "That was in 1997 just before I came to Hartpury College."

Louise is now in her final year studying for a BSc in Equine Science where she met her boyfriend, Rob Blanch who lives in Stroud.

Rob, who is also disabled, is studying sports science and understands the daily frustrations encountered by Louise.

"My right arm doesn't work," said Louise.

"And my legs are a bit hit and miss, sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.

Dottie was to radically change the shape of Louise's daily life.

They met last summer at the training centre in Banbury, Oxfordshire where they trained together for two weeks.

For more on this story and much more, see this week's Stroud News & Journal

DOGS for the Disabled is a pioneering charity which provides disabled people with specially trained dogs.

These dogs carry out a range of practical everyday tasks helping to increase people's independence and improve their quality of life.

Hundreds of people benefit from having a trained assistance dog but there is a waiting list.

Over the next five years more than 250 dogs will have to be trained to meet this demand and each one costs thousands of pounds before they become a fully fledged working animal.

Anyone who would like to support this work should contact Dogs for the Disabled on 08700 776600.