Natural Instinct has put its support behind leading disability charity Dog AID and is offering to feed a sponsored dog on its BARF meals for six months. It has also agreed to sponsor the charity’s newsletter.
The company provides premium cat and dog food based on the Biologically Appropriate Raw Food (BARF) diet. It was one of the first brands in the UK to make the BARF diet easier and more convenient for customers by developing a range of complete recipes which contain all the vitamins and minerals that a dog or cat would need for a healthy, naturally balanced diet.
Dog AID provides valuable support to people from the age of 15 upwards with disabilities by empowering them to train their own dogs to help them with every day tasks. The charity provides the client with an approved personal dog trainer who coaches them in modern, safe, reward based methods of dog training over a period of one to two years.
Training takes place either in the client’s home or at an occasional class, and using the bond which already exists between client and their dog, the trainer is able to leave them to practice what they’ve learned until the next appointment. Daily training ensures that the dog is learning at it’s own pace whilst being a constant companion to the client. Dog AID is now a national voluntary organisation accredited by the National and International umbrella groups, which uphold the high standards required for Assistance Dog training.
Natural Instinct’s sponsored dog is a black German Shepherd called Sera which belongs to Caroline Lewis from Shropshire, Caroline is 49 and tetraplegic as a result of a car accident in 1988. In 2001 she bought a puppy, Jade and after reading a leaflet about Dog AID, that puppy became not only her companion but also her unconditional helping hand.
Caroline explains: “After getting German Shepherd Jade in 2001, I read about the charity Dog AID which helps people with disabilities to train their pet to become a recognised assistance dog. I began my training with Jade in 2002 and within four years she was able to help me with tasks such as picking up dropped items, turning on light switches with her paw, opening doors and so much more.
"I have 24-hour carers, but to be with a dog that is capable of doing things for me provided such a sense of independence. No longer did I always have to ask someone to pick up something I dropped, Jade did it for me automatically and with such a sense of pride. I was suddenly able to come home from town on my own, safe in the knowledge that I had my canine assistant with me rather than feeling vulnerable. As a person in a wheelchair, an assistance dog also breaks down the barriers because people want to come and talk to me about the dog rather than looking away.”
Sadly Jade has now passed away and Caroline is training her new German Shepherd dog, Sera to pick up where Jade left off.
“I am hoping that as well as the tasks Jade was trained to carry out for me, I will also be able to train Sera to retrieve named objects. This is particularly important with items such as the telephone so that if myself or a carer gets into difficulty, Sera can bring me the phone to get help”.
Commenting on the sponsorship, Sandra Fraser of Dog AID said: “We are absolutely delighted with the support we have received from Natural Instinct. Not only have they provided much needed support for one of our dogs and our charity but they have also encouraged owners to think about feeding their animals on a healthy diet which is important for any assistance dogs in training as balanced nutrition leads to balanced behaviour.”
For further information visit www.dogaid.org.uk
