Basil is a star
A once-homeless puppy has a life-changing impact on his family and the many young people he helps as a ‘self-taught’ support dog…
“I’m really grateful to have him in my life because he does a lot of things for me,” says Charlotte Pope, of rescue-turned-support dog, Basil.
Life for the 18-year-old from Jersey with special needs was transformed when her family welcomed the cavapoo home six years ago.
At less than a year old, Basil – a curious, intelligent and energetic boy – had found himself at Blue Cross Suffolk.
His first owner had made the difficult decision to give him up, no longer able to juggle his care with that of a young family and a demanding work schedule.
Meanwhile, Charlotte’s mum, Sarah, was looking to welcome another dog into the family fold 14 years following the death of their beloved cavalier king charles spaniel, Murphy.
“I love having dogs, and I feel like a home is not a home without a dog,” says Sarah, a dog walker by profession.
Sarah also hoped that a canine presence would provide companionship for her two daughters, particularly Charlotte, who has various learning needs and health difficulties.
But never could she have imagined the life-changing impact Basil would have on Charlotte, as well as the many other young people he has helped as an official therapy dog.
When Basil first arrived home with the Popes, he was struggling with tummy troubles and allergies. Due to the veterinary ups and downs, it took him a long time to settle in.
Once treatment stabilised his condition, it also became clear that he needed lots of mental stimulation – and quickly channelled his busy brain into supporting Charlotte.
One of the ways he began doing this was intuitively sitting on the teenager’s lap and providing calming deep pressure on her knees, explains Sarah.
It was a gradual process, but the “lightbulb” moment for Sarah came during a hospital appointment for Charlotte several months after the family adopted him.
During what would normally be a traumatic experience for Charlotte, Basil hopped on her lap to help her during an unexpected blood test.
“It really blew me away,” says Sarah. “Normally we have the special [numbing] cream on for hours before. But there was no ‘magic cream’. She just did it... I couldn’t believe it.”
Since then, Charlotte, who describes Basil as her “best friend”, has lent on the now seven-year-old dog for confidence when walking around town alone – and even when paddleboarding or surfing.
Charlotte says: “He helps me so much. I love taking him with me to places that make me feel anxious, like the hospital. And he’s there to provide support.
“When I’m sad he just puts pressure on me and it just makes my brain say: ‘Look, you need to be happy now’.
“When he's on the paddleboard with me, he also provides that deep pressure. That makes me feel happy.”
And he's there for Charlotte at the end of any bad day. “I go straight to him, there’s no doubt about it,” she adds.
Of the remarkable impact Basil has had, Sarah says: “He’s done it all naturally, he’s sort of taught himself.
“I don't know what working does to stimulate him. But it obviously does something that makes him feel happy. Because he's absolutely loves it and gets so excited.”
Not only does Basil support Charlotte in an emotional and social way, but he also helps other youngsters with learning or behavioural challenges.
For three years, he has been going to a higher education college specialising in learning disabilities, which Charlotte has just joined.
Basil's important work has also taken him to a school for children with behavioural challenges and a residential home.
She continues: “I'm really proud of how far he's come from the beginning to now.”
Meanwhile, at home Basil is a source of endless joy for the whole family – and a best friend to blind 12-year-old Norfolk terrier, Amy, who Sarah and her husband recently adopted.
Trips to the beach, of which there are many in Jersey, are the highlight of any day – and Basil’s reward for his remarkable work.
On the day Blue Cross visits, he races along the sand and rolls around with happiness.
Sarah adds: "He’s a special boy and he was meant for me, for us. He chose us and we chose him... Life wouldn’t be the same without him.”
