Support dog Rafa 'stops me falling' on walks

The owner of a support dog has said he makes her feel more secure when walking out and about.

Anne Herbert, a senior law lecturer at Bath Spa University, has Ehlers Danlos syndrome, which affects her mobility and means the slightest fall could be catastrophic.

Ms Herbert, 64, and Rafa enrolled on a disability assistance programme with the Support Dogs charity in March 2023, and have now graduated as a successful partnership.

"I can hold on to Rafa and he stops me from falling," she said.

Ehlers-Danlos syndromes (EDS) are a group of rare inherited conditions that affect connective tissue.

Ms Herbert was diagnosed 15 years ago and told she would have to spend the rest of her life using two walking sticks.

It came as a shock for Ms Herbert, who had unknowingly grown up with the genetic condition but been labelled "a clumsy kid", despite excelling at athletics due to being "stretchy and strong".

She always had a dog while growing up, and discovered support dogs when reading about disability assistance dogs.

Ms Herbert looked into getting a puppy and spent a lot of time and effort in ensuring her new pet had the right temperament and would not be a big dog that would pull her over.

That is when she found Rafa, a goldendoodle and labradoodle cross, which became a life-changer.

"Now when I'm walking with him, it's as if my brain feels as though there's an extra body part on the ground, and it's reopened up my sensory and motor pathways," Ms Herbert said.

Rafa also helps his owner at home too, fetching her phone, the TV remote and helping take her shoes and socks off for her.

And he is well-known at the university where Ms Herbert works. "He's a bit of a rock star on campus," she said.

Another way Rafa helps is that people now see his blue support dog jacket and realise she is "part of a vulnerable population".

"People are much kinder and it eases my anxiety," Ms Herbert said.

"It's really been such a positive experience for my self-esteem and my mental health as I can continue to be independent," said Ms Herbert.

Follow BBC Somerset on Facebook and X. Send your story ideas to us on email or via WhatsApp on 0800 313 4630.