Bravehound bidding to take lead in voting for Lottery award

A charity supporting Tayside veterans by matching them with companion dogs is appealing for votes after reaching the finals of the National Lottery awards.

Bravehound is competing against six others in the best voluntary/ charity project category having already seen off stiff competition from a record field of more than 1,300 organisations to reach the public voting stage.

The winning project, which will receive £5,000, is to be announced in September.

Bravehound was launched in 2016 and works across Scotland supporting veterans who may struggle with the move into civilian life, in particular those with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Its dogs are all named after recipients of the Dickin Medal, the animal equivalent of the Victoria Cross.

The charity recently received the gift of a sprocker pup from Kirriemuir mum Jacqui Low from her dog’s litter of 11 youngsters.

Jacqui was keen to support Bravehound’s work after she learned about the charity at a gathering of sprocker owners.

Named Antis after the German shepherd companion of a Second World War Czech airman, the Angus pup will now undergo 10 months of training for its new role.

The project’s first Bravehound, Irma, has brought joy back into veteran Paul Wilkie’s life.

Paul, who lives in Perth, was tormented by recurring nightmares, but is now woken by his trusty spaniel licking his face.

“She just takes it all away – I haven’t stopped smiling since I got her,” he said.

Bravehound founder and director Fiona MacDonald said: “We believe dogs can help heal the invisible wounds that those who have seen combat carry with them.

“National Lottery funding has been crucial to us setting up Bravehound and it’s enabled us to make a life-changing difference to so many veterans.”

Votes for the charity can be cast at lotterygoodcauses.org.uk/project/bravehound.