Trainee assistance dogs help volunteer couple through health ordeal
A husband and wife who foster assistance dogs say having the pooches around has helped them through a dark time in their lives.
Janet and Peter Dyson, from Crosspool, Sheffield, have been named Foster Carers of the Year by the Sheffield-based Support Dogs charity, which trains and provides assistance dogs to help autistic children, as well as adults with epilepsy or a physical disability to live safer, more independent lives.
They are encouraging others to take up a volunteer role with the charity this January.
The award came just two months after Peter, 71, was given the all-clear from prostate cancer.
His cancer diagnosis came just months after medics warned Janet her husband might not survive, after he fell gravely ill on holiday and was later diagnosed with three bacterial infections, as well as sepsis and pneumonia.
But retired bank manager Peter has pulled through – and emotional relatives were there to see the couple pick up the Support Dogs honour during the charity’s annual Graduation and Awards ceremony, held at the Quays Hotel.
Janet, a former University of Sheffield library worker, said: “Despite what we were going through, you have got to get on with your day, and each dog has been so lovely. They are part of the family.”
The couple, who have had dogs all their lives, had to have their last pet pooch, cross-breed Bruno, put to sleep, and vowed not to have a dog for a while.
In early 2022, they decided to contact Support Dogs about looking after their dogs, and after various Zoom meetings during lockdown, they were asked to provide temporary care for Dug, an adorable yellow Lab who has since gone on to graduate as an autism assistance support dog.
Not long afterwards, eight-week-old Red Fox Labrador, Frank, bounded into the couple’s lives and they officially became his puppy socialisers.
When Frank was four months old, Peter became ill on holiday, in the Dominican Republic.
Even when he returned to the UK and was in an induced coma in Sheffield’s Northern Hospital for 12 days, Janet continued to look after Frank.
“It sort of helped that I had to do things – I had to concentrate on him as well,” said Janet, a 65-year-old mum-of-two and grandmother-of-three. “And when Peter came out of hospital, although he was frail and poorly and couldn’t do anything with the dog, Frank loved him.”
Frank left the Dysons’ care in August last year, when he went into full-time training.
Not long after, Peter began four weeks of radiotherapy.
In December 2023, they agreed to provide emergency holiday cover for a loveable Labrador/Retriever cross called Kelly.
They also took on the care of trainee support dog Adam, who was sourced from a rescue centre.
Kelly left the Dysons in May, while they continue to nurture Adam, with help from Support Dogs.
Peter was given the all-clear from cancer in September.
Janet said: “People say ‘I couldn’t give them up’. But when you get the dog, you know it’s not your dog and you still love them just the same, and you know they’re going to do such a lovely thing.”
Anyone looking for a new challenge in 2025 and wanting to find out more about volunteering with Support Dogs can visit www.supportdogs.org.uk or call 0114 2617800.