Rey is a rescue dog who supports his human partner, Jack, with the challenges of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

What is striking is the reciprocity that defines this partnership, in which each is helping the other.

There are many practical tasks that a PTSD service dog is trained to help its owner with day to day life However, it's the psychological impact that we explore in this episode.

Owner Jack Billington says that of all the therapies and help he has accessed for his PTSD, Rey has been by far the most effective. He shares some of the nuances of the partnership with Kate Fairweather.

A big thank you to Jack for coming onto the show and his openness in explaining the emotional and social aspects of his life, to which Rey has made such a difference.

If you would like to know more about PTSD assistance dogs, Service Dogs UK is a great place to start.

Connected episodes on assistance dogs

• Duke, the PTSD service dog, (also trained by Service Dogs UK)
• Mika, the well being and trauma support dog in the Metropolitan Police
• By your side: navigating life with a guide dog over time
• Ralph, the owner-trained, multi-tasking assistance dog - perfect for a Rogate teenager
• Darcey, the Canine Partner: an assistance dog relationship in full bloom
• Benjy, the trainee guide dog's first five weeks on the job
• Daisy, the autism assistance dog - practical, psychological and emotional support

Do you work your dog?

Or perhaps you know someone else who does and might like to come on the show? I love to hear about all and any working dogs - the more varied, the better!

Get in touch with me, Kate, via team@shineradio.uk.

Find more dogs with interesting jobs.

© & ℗ Kate Fairweather, 2026

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A bonus edition of Dogs with Jobs.

We're sharing a wonderful interview created by the International Guide Dog Federation to celebrate International Guide Dog Day 2026.

It features four very different human/guide dog partnerships from all over the world. The interviews go beyond the mechanics of guiding and training, and explore the emotional and social aspects of the relationship.

You may recognise the voice of the host, John Welsman, who co-produces Dogs with Jobs, from our Christmas episode.

We also hear from Jason Denton from Brisbane, Australia; Kirsten French from Washington state, USA, Pauline Eliers from Brussels, Belgium; and Nathan Foy from the UK.

Huge thanks to the International Guide Dog Federation for sharing the interviews with Dogs with Jobs.

Happy International Guide Dog Day for the 29th April, 2026!

Other episodes on guide dogs and assistance dogs

• Navigating life over decades with a guide dog at your side
• Benjy, the trainee guide dog‘s first five weeks on the job
• Breck, the retired guide dog
• Ralph, the owner-trained, multi-tasking assistance dog – perfect for a Rogate teenager
• Darcey, the Canine Partner: an assistance dog relationship in full bloom
• Daisy, the autism assistance dog – practical, psychological and emotional support

About the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF)

IGDF is the global charity responsible for defining and maintaining international standards for the training of guide dogs. Throughthis work, IGDF helps to ensure the quality, safety, and consistency of guide dog services worldwide for people who are blind or have low vision. Founded in 1987 by representatives from 15 guide dog organisations across 10 countries, IGDF has grown substantially. Today, it comprises 100 member organisations in 33 countries. Collectively, these organisations support more than 20,000 people who are blind or have low vision to travel safely and independently with the support of a guide dog.

Find IDGF online: @IDGFSocial; Facebook: LinkedIn.

Do you work your dog or dogs?

Kate is generally obsessed with working dogs and loves to hear about them – the more varied the better! Keep the introductions coming!

If you, or someone you know works their dog or dogs, and would consider being interviewed on Dogs with Jobs, please get in touch with Kate via team@shineradio.uk.

© & ℗ Kate Fairweather 2026

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

River, a little black spaniel in a bright orange vest is searching river bank in a Hampshire nature reserve. On this occasion, it's a demonstration only.

River is unique: the only conservation dog in the UK trained to find signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus), an American invasive species that was farmed as a delicacy in the UK in the 1960s and escaped into the wild.

The signal crayfish is a well equipped predator and will eat vegetation, small invertebrates and fish, including junior native crayfish. If they're hungry, they will turn on each other. They grow up to 18cm and burrow up to two metres deep into waterway banks, damaging habitat and leaving canals vulnerable to collapse.

As if this weren't enough, they also carry "crayfish plague", a fungal disease, which is fatal to the UK's native white-clawed crayfish. The native crayfish has declined drastically to the point of extinction. (The situation is akin to that of the invasive grey and native red squirrel).

River's handler, Lucy Wilde explains to Dogs with Jobs presenter, Kate Fairweather, how River has ended up with this specialised role, and what her working life looks like.

More info:

• Follow Lucy on IG @wildeecologydogs
• As mentioned in the podcast: The Ecology Detection Dog Working Group

Other conservation dog episodes:

• Reid, the bio security dog - update a year on
• Reid the bio security dog - the original interview;
• Skye, the stoat detection dog working to keep Orkney free from predators;
• A team of five detection dogs survey the Isle of May for ground nesting storm petrels;
• Barley the conservation dog and his international projects;
• Nica, Nettle and Phoenix, the Japanese knotweed detection dogs

Do you work your dog or dogs?

Get in touch with Kate at team@shineradio.uk with suggestions or introductions to working dogs to feature on the show - she's always interested to hear about dogs with interesting jobs.

© & ℗ Kate Fairweather 2026

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.