Council helps pay for ‘lifesaver’ dog
You normally expect councils to be the ones charging you for luxuries and necessities, but Wendy Hillings, living in Devon, is pleased to find that her council is offering her money for a dog she has described as a lifesaver.
Wendy, who lives in Barnstaple, Devon, suffers from a skin condition that means her skin is very brittle and blisters constantly. She has been given a golden retriever named Edward to help perform daily tasks to save her skin from blistering.
Edward has been helping Wendy since he was a puppy, and responds to over 100 different commands. His skills range from helping Wendy to undress, to taking clothes out of the washing machine.
To help feed Edward, the local council gives Wendy £30 each week.
Wendy says that Edward has made her life much easier:
He has gone for help before if I need it.
If I stop breathing in the middle of the night and my husband and I are both asleep, Edward’s worrying my husband’s pillow, saying: ‘She needs help’.
Edward has become a sort of carer for Wendy, so that her husband Peter doesn’t have to do everything himself.
If we go out, Peter’s not going as my carer, he’s going as my husband, and that is so important for the relationship.
Edward was paid for and trained by the charity ‘Canine Partners’.
