Hugo

Fiona, Ian and their four children all adore gentle giant Hugo, their young Newfoundland, but at the tender age of only nine months he was diagnosed with hip dysplasia and referred to Noel for specialist treatment.

Hugo is more than just a beloved pet, as he also provides a bridge with the human world for son Dominic, who suffers from autism, and so his diagnosis has meant the end of hopes that he could be trained as a therapy dog.

As if the situation wasn’t challenging enough, Noel discovers that Hugo also has problems with his elbow and knee joints. “That’s not good,” says Noel. “We have some big decisions to make.”