ENDAL THE AMAZING SERVICE DOG

Endal is a yellow Labrador retriever and has been a service dog to his owner Allen Parton, a disabled ex-Royal Navy Chief Petty Officer since the late 1990’s. Allen received head injuries from the Gulf War which includes 50% memory loss. He also has speech and word difficulties, and is wheelchair-bound. For many years, Allen was unable to speak.

Endal was responsiblie for helping Allen recover from deep depression and trauma caused by his disability. Endal is able to respond to over one hundred instructions and a large number of signed commands. He retrieves items from supermarket shelves, operates buttons and switches, and loads and empties the washing maching. He is able to put a card into an automated teller machine, retrieve the card, and put the card back into a wallet.

An Able Magazine article noted that Endal has learned to pull the plug out of the bath before going to help if Allen becomes unconscious. He is able to put Allen in the recovery position, hit the emergency button the telephone and summon help. Endal has learned to help with the shopping, open train doors, and operates lifts. Another more private role is Endal’s work with autistic and terminally ill children. He has been used to help with animal welfare and has helped raise funds for many of the service charities.

Among his numerous awards are the 2005 Crufts Dog Show Runner up “Hero Dog of the Year” award , the 2004 “Lifetime Achievement Award” (Wag and Bone Show”) , and the 2003 Gold Blue Peter Badge, the highest award for “outstanding bravery and courage”. One of only two ever awarded to dogs.

He still has a few mischevious traits. Sometimes he will decide to chase squirrels, or may take paper out of the waste basket to Allen, in order to gain a reward for “picking it up from the floor”.