A LOT of people don’t realise how much these animals contribute,’ sighs the Countess of Bathurst, founder of the National Foundation for Retired Service Animals (NFRSA). ‘They have dedicated their lives to keeping us safe. I believe we should come together as a nation and support them in their twilight years. It’s the least we can do to acknowledge that loyalty.’
When serving as High Sheriff of Gloucestershire in 2016, Lady Bathurst discovered that financial support for service animals comes to an end when they retire. ‘Naturally, handlers want to keep their partners and they can easily cover the expense of food, toys and kennelling, but the cost of veterinary care can be daunting, as insurance is difficult to obtain due to the dog’s age,’ she points out. ‘It’s unthinkable that an officer might have to consider rehoming their four-legged companion simply due to financial worry, so I wanted to do something to help.’
