Charity celebrates 10th anniversary with special awards for dogs

Charity Service Dogs UK, based in Fareham, Hampshire, is celebrating a major milestone in its 10th anniversary year—having successfully accredited over 50 veteran and assistance dog partnerships through its specialist PTSD assistance dog programme.

Six new Veteran–dog teams recently passed their final assessments after completing the charity’s Public Access Course—a demanding process following more than a year of intensive training. The veterans, from the Armed Forces and Emergency Services, worked alongside dogs—most of them rescues—throughout the programme to create life-changing bonds that support their recovery from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

The charity will be holding a special ‘Dogs Making a Difference’ conference on 11th September in Winchester followed by the presentation of the Medal of Honour awards that will celebrate the achievements of some incredible working dogs from the military, emergency services, assistance and therapy dog sectors.

“This is a huge moment for us,” said charity Founder Garry Botterill at Service Dogs UK. “Every partnership represents months of dedication and a powerful journey of healing. To pass the 50-partnership mark in our tenth year is incredibly special. This year we also want to highlight the power of the ‘human-animal’ bond through our conference and celebrate working dogs that do amazing things to help us in everything from law enforcement to search and rescue to wellbeing and assistance dogs.

Service Dogs UK’s programme is unique in the UK where Veterans from the military and blue light services are matched with rescue dogs and they train for up to a year under professional supervision. This innovative approach helps rebuild confidence, reduce isolation, and support mental health in ways that traditional therapies often cannot. A recent independent evaluation of the programme confirmed significant benefits for both veterans and their families.

About Service Dogs UK
With its registered office in Fareham, Service Dogs UK is a charity providing PTSD Assistance Dogs to Veterans from the Armed Forces and Emergency Services. The dogs—mostly the Dogs Trust rescue, are trained in partnership with Veterans to help them manage the day-to-day challenges of PTSD, providing support, stability, and a lifeline for recovery. Visit servicedogsuk.org for more information.