PTSD: the power of dogs and the positivity of helping comrades
By Garry Botterill, 4 August 2021
Fellow's Profile
Garry Botterill
Fellow's Profile
Garry Botterill
PTSD: the power of dogs and the positivity of helping comrades
Fellowship
- Themes
- Focus
-
Improving care and recovery for those experiencing PTSD through specialist assistance dogs
- Countries
- Fellowship year
-
2015
- Supported by
- Locality
-
South East
Contact
Biography
I am the founder, trustee, and volunteer Operations Director of Service Dogs UK. I am also the National OK9 Wellbeing and Trauma Support Dog Lead for the National Police Wellbeing Service. I serve on the board of Assistance Dogs UK and lead the Rescue/Shelter Dog Group for Assistance Dogs International. These roles are directly linked to my 2015 Fellowship, during which I researched specially trained assistance dogs for veterans with PTSD in the USA and the Netherlands. I also co-developed the first police mental health app, ‘Backup Buddy’, and am a champion for good mental health.
Ideas
Activity
March 2026 Fellows' update: Garry Botterill
As part of the National Police Wellbeing Service’s OK9 team, Gary Botterill (CF 2015) contributed to a chapter on the OK9 wellbeing and trauma support dog programme in the book Wellbeing in Policing.
By Garry Botterill, 12 March 2026
February 2024 Fellow's update: Garry Botterill
Garry Botterill (CF 2015), Founder and Operations Director of Service Dogs UK, represented his charity at the All-Party Parliamentary Dog Advisory Welfare Group to discuss the state of dog in rescue in the UK.
By Garry Botterill, 20 February 2024
Changing lives, two at a time
By Garry Botterill, 14 April 2022
March 2022 Fellows' update: Garry Botterill
The work of Garry Botterill (CF 2015) and his charity Service Dogs UK was featured in an article in the April issue of Your Dog magazine. Garry co-founded the charity following his Fellowship, which explored how specially trained assistance dogs can support PTSD sufferers.
By Garry Botterill, 31 March 2022
October 2021 Fellows' update: Garry Botterill
The charity set up by Garry Botterill (CF 2015), Service Dogs UK, has become the first PTSD Assistance Dog Charity in the UK to achieve accreditation by Assistance Dogs International. Garry co-founded the charity following his Fellowship, which explored how specially trained assistance dogs can support PTSD sufferers.
By Garry Botterill, 31 October 2021
September 2021 Fellows' update: Garry Botterill
The charity set up by Garry Botterill (CF 2015), Service Dogs UK, received a Royal visit from The Duke of Kent on 23 September. Garry co-founded the charity following his Fellowship, which explored how specially trained assistance dogs can support PTSD sufferers.
By Garry Botterill, 30 September 2021
Health and wellbeing: Garry Botterill
By Garry Botterill, 4 August 2021
May 2021 Fellow's update: Garry Botterill
Charity founder Garry Botterill (CF 2015) launched a new national network of wellbeing and trauma support dogs this month that provide mental health support to police forces across the UK. Garry's Fellowship explored how specially trained assistance dogs can support PTSD sufferers.
By Garry Botterill, 31 May 2021
February 2021 Fellow's update: Garry Botterill
The charity of police sergeant Garry Botterill (CF 2016), Service Dogs UK, was published in the West Sussex Gazette on 9 February. Garry’s Fellowship explored how assistance dogs can help veterans with PTSD, and he used these findings to develop the work of this charity.
By Garry Botterill, 28 February 2021
Disclaimer
All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.
Ideas
PTSD: the power of dogs and the positivity of helping comrades
By Garry Botterill, 4 August 2021
Activity
March 2026 Fellows' update: Garry Botterill
As part of the National Police Wellbeing Service’s OK9 team, Gary Botterill (CF 2015) contributed to a chapter on the OK9 wellbeing and trauma support dog programme in the book Wellbeing in Policing.
By Garry Botterill, 12 March 2026
February 2024 Fellow's update: Garry Botterill
Garry Botterill (CF 2015), Founder and Operations Director of Service Dogs UK, represented his charity at the All-Party Parliamentary Dog Advisory Welfare Group to discuss the state of dog in rescue in the UK.
By Garry Botterill, 20 February 2024
Changing lives, two at a time
By Garry Botterill, 14 April 2022
March 2022 Fellows' update: Garry Botterill
The work of Garry Botterill (CF 2015) and his charity Service Dogs UK was featured in an article in the April issue of Your Dog magazine. Garry co-founded the charity following his Fellowship, which explored how specially trained assistance dogs can support PTSD sufferers.
By Garry Botterill, 31 March 2022
October 2021 Fellows' update: Garry Botterill
The charity set up by Garry Botterill (CF 2015), Service Dogs UK, has become the first PTSD Assistance Dog Charity in the UK to achieve accreditation by Assistance Dogs International. Garry co-founded the charity following his Fellowship, which explored how specially trained assistance dogs can support PTSD sufferers.
By Garry Botterill, 31 October 2021
September 2021 Fellows' update: Garry Botterill
The charity set up by Garry Botterill (CF 2015), Service Dogs UK, received a Royal visit from The Duke of Kent on 23 September. Garry co-founded the charity following his Fellowship, which explored how specially trained assistance dogs can support PTSD sufferers.
By Garry Botterill, 30 September 2021
Health and wellbeing: Garry Botterill
By Garry Botterill, 4 August 2021
May 2021 Fellow's update: Garry Botterill
Charity founder Garry Botterill (CF 2015) launched a new national network of wellbeing and trauma support dogs this month that provide mental health support to police forces across the UK. Garry's Fellowship explored how specially trained assistance dogs can support PTSD sufferers.
By Garry Botterill, 31 May 2021
February 2021 Fellow's update: Garry Botterill
The charity of police sergeant Garry Botterill (CF 2016), Service Dogs UK, was published in the West Sussex Gazette on 9 February. Garry’s Fellowship explored how assistance dogs can help veterans with PTSD, and he used these findings to develop the work of this charity.
By Garry Botterill, 28 February 2021
Disclaimer
All Reports are copyright © the author. The moral right of the author has been asserted. The views and opinions expressed by any Fellow are those of the Fellow and not of the Churchill Fellowship or its partners, which have no responsibility or liability for any part of them.
