Charity begins at home for Dogs for the Disabled

They’ve done time in prison and had foster families help hone their social skills, but there’s nothing troubling about the dogs that emerge from this upbringing.

Assistance dogs are in fact a godsend to the physically disabled children and adults fortunate enough to secure one.

Yesterday, it was the turn of Shauna McNamara, 9, from Freemount, and Alison O’Flynn, 7, from Glanmire, who had their first introductions to their new black labradors, Jade and Jack, respectively, at charity Dogs for the Disabled in Togher, Cork.

“I thought she’d be blonde,” was Shauna’s initial reaction as Jade made friends with her new charge.

As the two got acquainted, Shauna’s dad Pat explained that his daughter was born with both knees locked beneath her.

“There was no muscle under the knee. From a functional point of view, her legs were of no use,” he said.

The harsh upshot was amputation of both legs from the knee when Shauna was just five years old. She has prosthetics and can get about holding on to furniture but Jade should be the stabilising force that she needs.

Jade will also be able to perform other simple, everyday tasks such as opening/closing doors and picking up dropped items.

Alison, a twin to Rachel, has cerebral palsy and can get around for short distances but is otherwise largely reliant on a walker and sometimes a wheelchair. Her mum Marissa says they “can’t wait” to bring Jack home. Jennifer Dowler, the charity’s chief executive, promises it will be in time for Christmas.

Jennifer explains how the dogs are bred in Dóchas women’s prison and trained at Shelton Abbey men’s prison.

A breeding female is placed with an individual inmate at Dóchas and supported in the first seven weeks after giving birth. Foster families then work to socialise the dogs and they are subsequently trained by Shelton Abbey inmates.

Jennifer says the system works well and is “very cost-effective” for the charity, which relies entirely on the generosity of sponsors, donors, and fundraising, and the profile-raising commitment of people such as Peter O’Mahony, the Ireland and Munster rugby player, and the charity’s patron.

Peter, much to the delight of Alison’s brothers Barry, 11, and Tom, 10, was at the Togher HQ yesterday to launch the 2019 Dogs for the Disabled calendar.

The rugby star got involved a few years back at the behest of a former teammate.

“It was an easy sell. The work they do is incredible and the difference they make to people’s lives is incredible. It’s a pleasure to be involved,” he said.

* The calendar is available here, from the charity’s premises in Togher, and in many local veterinary clinics.