Phil and Felicity – A Life-Changing Partnership
Felicity and Phil are a shining example of how the partnership between an assistance dog and their person can transform lives.
Phil and Felicity are a testament to what having an assistance dog can achieve—their Medical Detection Dog and Dogs for Autism dual trained partnership embodies resilience, trust and mutual empowerment, every single day.
Felicity, an autistic young adult, lives with severe vestibular dysautonomia – a rare condition that causes her to collapse without warning. This combination made everyday life unpredictable and frightening, not only for her but for her whole family.
When overwhelming demand meant Felicity could not receive a dog through Dogs for Autism, the family rescued a 16-week-old Labrador puppy in January 2021 and named him Phil. Determined to give Felicity the support she needed, they undertook owner-training through Pawsable Assistance Dogs CIC.
Phil quickly showed his remarkable ability to alert Felicity ahead of collapses, giving her precious moments to seek safety and preventing countless injuries. He also performs a wide range of autism-related tasks, including deep pressure therapy, crowd control, locating safe exits, and recognising when a meltdown is imminent.
Phil’s outstanding progress led to the opportunity to join the Medical Detection Dogs Owner-Trainer programme, where his skills were further developed by world leaders in canine medical detection. With the support of Dogs for Autism and Medical Detection Dogs, Felicity and Phil became a unique dual-trained partnership, recognised by ADUK earlier this year.
The impact has been extraordinary. Felicity describes her journey with Phil as moving from “surviving to thriving.” She is back on the netball court, studying at college, volunteering at major league netball events, and enjoying public spaces and festivals with a confidence that once felt out of reach.
Phil is more than an assistance dog. He is Felicity’s lifeline, giving her independence, safety, and the freedom to embrace life to the full. In Felicity’s words ‘I have gone from surving to thriving’.