Wantage dad gains new independence with assistance dog Cassie

Wantage dad Paul Jacobs tells us how his assistance dog Cassie has helped him, thanks to a newly qualified Support Dogs partnership.

Sometimes, a helping hand comes with four paws and a wagging tail. For Wantage dad Paul Jacobs, that helping hand is Cassie, a clever black Labrador who has transformed daily life for him and his young family.

Paul was just 21 when his world changed forever. A serious motorcycle accident left him with a spinal injury, and he spent four months at Stoke Mandeville Hospital’s National Spinal Injury Centre before finally returning home. Once an active apprentice plumber with a bright future, Paul suddenly found himself learning how to navigate life as a wheelchair user.

“To go from being fairly active to being in a wheelchair was quite the change,” says Paul, now 42 and a dad of two. Rebuilding confidence took time and courage, but one constant helped guide him forward. His lifelong love of dogs.

That love led Paul to Cassie, who recently graduated alongside him as a successful Support Dogs partnership. Trained by the Yorkshire-based national charity Support Dogs, Cassie is now Paul’s disability assistance dog, giving him independence, reassurance and the freedom to enjoy family life more fully.

Living with limited balance and core strength, everyday tasks can be challenging. Cassie has been trained to pick items up from the floor, a skill that proves invaluable in a busy household with children Oliver, nine, and seven-year-old Benjamin.

“There are often clothes and toys everywhere,” Paul smiles. “Cassie picks up my shoes, her toys, and even takes clothes to the washing machine. She can help load it too, and she pulls my socks and jacket off.”

Out and about, Cassie closes doors, presses access buttons and provides something just as important as practical support. Confidence.

“When you go from able-bodied to disabled, going outside on your own can be quite scary,” Paul explains. “Having Cassie with me relieves that anxiety. She helps physically, but also emotionally.”

Cassie also opens doors socially. Wearing her Support Dogs jacket, she sparks conversations and helps Paul feel connected, rather than isolated. Her training means she can accompany him into shops, making everyday life smoother and more inclusive.

Paul, who retrained as a design engineer just eight months after his accident and still works for Warburton Building Services, is full of praise for Support Dogs and the life-changing work they do.

“It’s amazing what they can teach a dog, and how much that changes someone’s life,” he says. “Life would be a lot more difficult without Cassie.”

Support Dogs provides all its services free of charge and relies entirely on donations. For Paul and his family, Cassie is not just a dog. She is a teammate, a confidence booster and a much-loved member of the family.

Visit supportdogs.org.uk.

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