Brainy Dogs

The project will train rescue dogs from Felixstowe Blue Cross to be rehabilitation/companion dogs for people with an acquired brain injury or neurological condition. It is hoped that the dogs will help with simple tasks to increase the independence of their owner. The dogs will be trained by prisoners from Hollesley Bay open prison, helping the prisoners to learn new skills.

Every day one person in our region will have a life changing brain injury resulting in a physical disability, communication problems,short term memory loss or personality change. This means that they loose many of their friends yet they still have a need to love and be loved. The dogs will help to fill this gap as well as carry out tasks such as picking up objects, responding to danger and help to cross the road. Headway Ipswich and East Suffolk support 100 clients a week age 16 years upwards.

Hollsley Bay state “It would be very rewarding to be able to make a significant contribution in supporting Headway and the Blue Cross, it will increase a prisoners self esteem, the opportunity to integrate with the local community. Training the companion dogs and also working with the service users will be challenging but also support and build on their personal and social skills. The knowledge gained through learning these new skills will enable the prisoners to put them into practice when they are eventually released from custody and into the wider community and therefore address the governments reducing re-offending rates.”

This is a unique project benefitting Felixstowe BlueCross, Headway, and Hollsley Bay Prison which will only be able to begin its work if it wins this funding.