THE memory of a remarkable four-legged friend will live on forever.
A new road in Clanfield will be named after Endal, whose nickname was the ‘wonder dog’ as he could perform a variety of tasks, including getting clothes out of a washing machine and taking notes from a cashpoint.
The Labrador retriever was the first assistance dog for Allen Parton, a former Royal Navy sailor who suffered serious head injuries in the Gulf War.
Allen, who lives in Clanfield, was left in a wheelchair and spent five years in hospital, but Endal helped turn his life around as the pair became inseparable.
He was voted Dog of the Millennium and given the PDSA’s coveted Gold Medal – the canine equivalent of the George Cross – for saving Allen’s life in 2001 after he was knocked from his wheelchair by a car.
The 12-year partnership came to an end in March 2009 when Endal was put to sleep after suffering a stroke.
As a tribute to Endal’s legacy, developers of a new 275-home estate being built off Green Lane have decided to name a new road Endal Way.
Allen, whose companion is now Endal Junior and who has gone on to set up his own charity Hounds for Heroes in Petersfield, was delighted with the developer’s decision.
He said: ‘Endal saved my life and my marriage and gave me the drive to set up Hounds for Heroes. I think that the recognition is brilliant and I can’t wait to see it.
‘The naming has a huge significance to me personally I miss him every single day.’
A spokesman for developer David Wilson Homes said: ‘Endal is a true local hero and will long be remembered by everyone in this community.’
Building work is well under way on the Windmill View development, which will include a community building and sports pitches.
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