Emma and Jeff's support dog journey

Emma was an active mum, while studying and working, despite having the life-long condition of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, a  connective tissue disorder and during the pandemic, she was struck down with long Covid, and later diagnosed with heart failure.

But after getting her pet Red Fox Labrador, Jeff, trained as a disability assistance dog by the national Support Dogs charity, she says she feels like she’s living again.

“My illness zapped me of my confidence and stopped me in my tracks. I went from being someone who was full-time employed and a full-time mum to someone who’s now working part time because of my health. A combination of all these conditions meant I couldn’t live the life-style I had before.”

“He did start getting me out, and I realised how much he loved to work”

“I saw a Support Dogs advert on social media and applied to the charity in late 2024.”

Following interviews, assessments and obtaining of medical records, Jeff spent a month at Support Dogs’ training centre, being looked after by volunteer doggy foster carers on evenings and weekends.

Emma then joined him, spending two weeks learning handler skills and then the pair spent the following nine months putting everything they’d learned from Support Dogs into practice back home in Wales.

Jeff has been trained to act as a personal carer for Emma, supporting her 24/7. He accompanies her to work and hospital appointments and has been trained to support her with a wide range of day-to-day tasks. This includes fetching her mobile phone, opening doors and pressing access buttons, which particularly helps Emma when she’s using her wheelchair or mobility scooter.

She added that as well as practically, Jeff also helps signal to people that she has a disability, and that attention is now on Jeff, rather than her.

“It’s two-fold – I could look like I’m fine when I’m not fine. Sometimes people assume I’m Jeff’s trainer, because my disability isn’t visible, so having Jeff means people do recognise that I might need a bit of space, or a bit of help.”

She described having Jeff trained by Support Dogs as “life-changing”

“It’s got me out and about. It’s got me taking part in life much more and feeling much less defined by my illness or disability. Having Jeff, it’s about what I can do now, whereas before, it was about lots of things I found I couldn’t do.

I can’t thank Support Dogs enough.”

Learn more about our Disability Assistance Dog Programme