A Memory That Lives On: Remembering Dad Through Support Dogs

When Paul Glossop talks about his dad, Tom, one thing comes through immediately: pride.

"He was a proud dad," Paul says. "Very family orientated. He was generous. And he cared for a lot of people."

Tom was also a lifelong dog lover. From his childhood days with Border Collies and Whippets, dogs were always part of his life. But it wasn't until later in life that he discovered a way to turn that love into something truly life-changing.

Today, even though Tom is no longer here, the difference he made continues to be felt by the people whose lives were transformed by the dogs he helped raise. And thanks to donations made in his memory, that legacy continues to grow.

Donate in memory

Finding Purpose Through Difficult Times

Life changed for Tom and his family when their beloved Border Collie, Blue, passed away.

Around the same time, Tom's wife became seriously ill with diabetes and lost her leg. For someone who had always been active and caring for others, it was a difficult period.

"He was a bit at a loss," Paul remembers. "He wanted something where he could get out and about, and he wanted another dog."

Then one day, Tom saw a feature about Support Dogs on television. Something clicked.

Support Dogs offered more than the chance to spend time with dogs. It offered purpose. It offered connection. Most importantly, it offered the opportunity to help someone else.

As Paul puts it: "It ticked all the boxes."

More Than Raising Dogs

Over the years, Tom fostered and helped train several dogs for Support Dogs, including Shadow, Kayleigh, Moss and Sasha.

Each dog had their own personality. Each brought joy into the family home. And each was destined for something bigger.

Tom wasn't raising pets. He was helping create seizure alert dogs that would go on to support people living with epilepsy.

"What he got out of it was knowing there was an end purpose," says Paul. "Knowing that he was doing something for the community, and that this dog would then go on to somebody who needed it."

That sense of purpose kept him going.

He loved taking the dogs on buses and trams, introducing them to new experiences and talking to people about the important role they would one day play.

"He enjoyed the social side of it," Paul says. "He enjoyed knowing what the dog was going to become."

Support Dogs gave Tom the chance to be part of something bigger than himself. It gave him a way to help change lives.

The Difference It Made to Tom

The impact wasn't only felt by the people who received the dogs. Volunteering changed Tom's life too.

"My dad had a really bad stammer," Paul explains. "But it gave him confidence to talk to people."

Simple conversations that began with someone stopping to stroke a dog became opportunities to connect. Meeting people. Sharing stories. Talking about the dogs. Little by little, Tom's confidence grew.

Looking back, Paul believes volunteering helped his dad as much as it helped the people Support Dogs serves.

A Legacy Worth Continuing

When Tom passed away in 2025, Paul and his son wanted to honour everything that had mattered to him. The decision was simple. Instead of flowers, they encouraged donations to Support Dogs.

"For a legacy, it was something my dad would have liked," Paul says. "It makes me proud to think that the money's gone to a worthwhile charity."

For Paul, supporting the charity wasn't just about remembering his dad's love of dogs. It was about continuing the work that had given him so much purpose. It's about recognising that every puppy trained, every partnership created and every life changed is part of the story Tom helped write.

And it's a story that doesn't end with him.

The Legacy Lives On

Paul often thinks about the dogs his dad helped train.

"I honestly think that the dogs my dad helped train have saved people's lives."

He also knows they brought something less visible, but equally important.

Companionship. Confidence. Independence. Calm.

The kind of support that helps people face each day with greater freedom and reassurance.

When Paul reflects on his father's life, that's what stands out most. Not only what Tom achieved, but what continues because of him.

"I like to think now that my dad's legacy... I can take this on board as well."

Create a Lasting Tribute

When someone we love dies, we all look for meaningful ways to remember them.

An in-memory donation is a way of continuing the values, passions and kindness that defined someone's life. For Tom, that legacy lives on through Support Dogs and the people whose lives continue to be changed by the dogs he helped raise.

By making a donation in memory of a loved one, you can create a lasting tribute of your own - one that helps transform lives for years to come.

As Paul says:

“What people need is your support. For the future. I would just say to the people out there, please visit Support Dogs and do something unbelievable”

Because the greatest memories aren't measured by what we leave behind.

They're measured by the lives we continue to change.

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