Rescue huskies helped me overcome agoraphobia (From Bournemouth Echo)

Rescue huskies helped me overcome agoraphobia

8:27am Tuesday 9th March 2010 in

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A MAN who spent years completely housebound owes his new lease of life to an unlikely trio – three Siberian Huskies.

Ade Hill, of Wareham, who has been agoraphobic for nearly five years, always dreamed of owning a husky.

But his condition, which more or less left him trapped in his Northmoor home, meant this dream was never likely to be realised.

So last summer, when his partner, Claire, and health workers suggested taking in two huskies, Ade tentatively agreed.

The rescue dogs, Zack and Suki, needed re-housing from Newcastle, and now Ade says it’s hard to say exactly who rescued who.

“Claire often says the dogs have rescued me, rather than the other way around,” says the 41-year-old. “They helped me immensely. Knowing I had to walk them gave me the will to go outside and take part in activities.

“The dogs draw so much attention I find myself being spoken to all the time and communicating with others.”

Since then Ade has taken in a third husky called Troy.

His recovery has come so far he’s organised an eight-mile sponsored walk around Wareham Forest in aid of the Siberian Husky Welfare Association (SHWA UK).

Ade explained: “With the giant leap forward in my rehabilitation – I couldn’t leave the house before I got my dogs – I decided that I wanted to give something back to both the breed and the charity, which helped me achieve my lifetime ambition and start to get well.”

Now Ade works as a volunteer at SHWA UK and from time-to-time carries out home checks on be-half of the charity – something he felt was inconceivable just a year ago.

Visit huskywelfare .org.uk for more information. The walk takes place on April 17 at 11.30am, meeting at the Sika Trail Car Park, Wareham Forest.