THE National Golden Bone Awards 2001 were held at Manchester Airport's Radisson Hotel on Saturday 9th February 2002. On the same weekend as the Manchester championship show and just four weeks before Crufts, this was a wonderful curtain raiser to the greatest dog show in the world. It was an opportunity to recognise and celebrate the contribution of many dogs and people at work, at home and in the community.
This fundraising event, organised by Susie Mathis, twice winner of the prestigious Sony Radio Personality of the Year Award, was attended by many celebraties including Anne Widdicombe and Carla Lane, stars from Coronation Street, EastEnders and Emmerdale as well as other well known television shows. The monies raised will be distributed through the Pet Role Trust to canine good causes. The event was hosted by TV personality and Our Dogs Media Director Kevin Horkin and Our Dogs Managing Director Vince Hogan.
Canine Partners for Independence
Since its establishment in 1990, Canine Partners has trained and paired 56 dogs with disabled partners with a further 15 partnerships planned for graduation in the next 12 months. It is a registered charity which relies totally upon public gifts and donations and receives no government support. Endal and Echo will be at Crufts on 7-10 March at the NEC, Birmingham on the Canine Partners' stand no. 4-46. Contact: Leonie Barford, Canine Partners for Independence; Tel: 01730 894830 Mobile: 07949 019629 Fax: 01730 894586. Email: leonie@cpipr.fsworld.co.uk Website: www.cpiuk.org
Golden Bone winners
Two dogs trained to carry out tasks to help disabled people by the charity Canine Partners for Independence were winners at the prestigious National Golden Bone Awards, the Oscars of the dog world, held in Manchester on Saturday 9 February. Endal, who is partnered with Clanfield resident, Allen Parton, was honoured with a one-off, unique award "Canine Lifetime Achievement Award" for the dedicated and loyal role he has played in supporting Allen throughout their four-year partnership. The award had not been publicised before the event and was a complete surprise to Allen, who was presented with the award by TV personality, Shauna Lowrie. Ms Lowrie also won the "TV Presenter of the Year" award.
Endal, a golden Labrador trained by Canine Partners for Independence, has previously been voted "Dog of the Millennium", received a PRO-Dog of the Year Gold Medal and the Year of Promise "Human Life Saving" award. Allen was severely injured in a car crash whilst serving in the Gulf War in 1991 which left him unable to walk and with short-term memory loss. It shattered his confidence, he became introverted and could not see any future. As a result, his relationship with his wife and two children became strained. But when he was partnered with Endal his life changed dramatically and thanks to Endal's constant companionship and skill, Allen is leading an independent and fulfilled life once again.
Endal is able to carry out over 100 tasks to help Allen with - tasks which he finds difficult such as getting laundry out of the washing machine, calling the lift, picking up items in the supermarket, handing over payment at the checkout - and he can even fetch help in an emergency.
He says "One unexpected bonus is that Endal helps me by stopping at every road crossing until it is safe to cross. I often forget to look. He never judges me or turns away because of my condition. His love is unconditional. He is helping me become more tolerant in life. Every day we learn another way in which was can work together as a team. There seem to be no limits to what we can achieve."
The "Support Dog of the Year" award was presented to Echo - a cross between a black golden retriever and an Irish water spaniel. Echo is a Canine Partners assistance dog who has been working for Marlborough resident, Enid Burnett since 1998.
Enid has multiple sclerosis and often drops things. Reaching lift buttons, light switches and doors handles is very often a problem. Echo helps her to carry out over one hundred tasks like these every day and he has even saved her life twice, once when her wheelchair slid down a bank and again when her house caught fire. Enid and Echo were unable to attend the ceremony but they will be presented with the award at Crufts at the NEC in Birmingham on 7-10 March.
There were two other categories in which a co-founder of Canine Partners and one of the charity's dogs, were runners-up. They were: Pet Dog of the Year, Hector - a flat-coated retriever. Hector was originally selected as an assistance dog by Canine Partners for Independence but was withdrawn because of medical problems.
However, his puppy foster parent, Lynda Thompson, took him on permanently and he is now promoting the charity very successfully educating children and their parents about disability and how dogs can help people. Hector and Lynda from Southampton visit groups, clubs, schools, businesses and concerts where Hector is never phased by his surroundings.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Anne Conway - Anne, from Emsworth, was nominated for her work in setting up Canine Partners for Independence. She set up the Charity in 1990 with the late Lesley Scott-Ordish after hearing of similar establishments in the US where they travelled to research their methods. Anne has also been active in PRO-Dogs, was formerly a Trustee for Hearing Dogs for Deaf People and trains and rescues Cocker Spaniels.
