Stamford-based dog breeder Aglabs recognised for donating puppies to Support Dogs charity

A dog breeder who has been supplying an assistance dogs charity with superhounds for the past four years has been honoured with an award.

Aglabs, a reputable breeder based just outside Stamford, has gifted about 25 Labrador puppies to Yorkshire-based charity Support Dogs since 2020.

Many of them have gone on to become assistance dogs, supporting autistic children, or adults with epilepsy or a physical disability, to live safer, more independent lives.

Aglabs is led by Lissy and Jonny Birnie-Hawkins and Lissy was presented with Support Dogs’ Community Partnership award during the charity’s recent Graduation and Awards ceremony.

The event also gave Lissy a chance to see some of her dogs graduate – including red fox Labrador, Zeus, who is partnered with seven-year-old Bobby Clark, who is autistic.

Lissy said: “It was amazing. It was really nice to be appreciated and lovely to catch up and see all the dogs that are doing really well, and to meet the puppy socialisers.

“What Support Dogs does is amazing – you can really see the difference it makes to people’s lives, kids in particular.”

Former Aglabs pup Josie, now aged three, graduated earlier this year as an autism assistance dog, helping a youngster in Bolton to make sense of the world.

Another Aglabs alumna, Maisie, graduated as an epilepsy seizure alert dog for Sally Burton, from East Markham, near Newark, and gives her a 50-minute, 100 per cent advanced warning of an oncoming seizure.

Sally was diagnosed with epilepsy aged 10, and until she was 28 she was unable to go out unaccompanied, and had never made a cup of tea for fear of injuring herself during a seizure.

At its peak, she was having 70 seizures a day and had her mum and husband living with her as she couldn’t be left alone.

But Maisie has given Sally, now 57, her life back - as her warnings mean she has time to get to safety ahead of a attack.

And Penny, the longest-serving support dog bred by Aglabs, graduated alongside Wendy Martin last year as a disability assistance dog, helping Wendy with a range of tasks.

Various other support dogs-in-training Skye, Meadow, Lyra, Chris, Doris, Basil, Wendy, Ruby, Rowley, Garry, Otis and Gilly are among Aglabs alumni.

Lissy and Jonny first got involved with Support Dogs in early 2020, after a breeder friend donated a pup.

The couple also have a son, six-year-old Jack, who is deaf, and being aware of the difference dogs can make to children and adults, they jumped at the chance to help.

Lissy, who is also mum to three-year-old Harry, looks to breed “a really nice laid-back puppy that wants to interact with humans”, combined with “the trainability from the working side of the breed, and also the calmness”.

Before going to Support Dogs, pups are with Aglabs, a Kennel Club and South Kesteven District Council-assured breeder, until they’re around eight weeks old.

They begin being weaned from their mum at six weeks old and are introduced to different people and children, toys, travelling in the car, and they meet other adult dogs at Aglabs.

They have vet checks at seven weeks old and a week later are collected by Support Dogs staff or volunteers.

Lissy said: “I only do the breeding side of things – the first eight weeks is the easiest time, I think.

“Thank you to Support Dogs – I can’t wait to see more of the pups coming through.”