BRAVEHOUND

Al Bunyan has been involved in the training of dogs since the early 80’s after gaining an interest in their training whilst serving in the British Army supporting military dog handlers. After leaving the army in the late 80s he developed his interest further gaining further qualifications and then in 1995 he became part of the initial steering group of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers in the UK and was the first assessor in Scotland.

Since then Al has run his own business and for the last 12 years he has worked for the Dogs Trust as a Senior Training and Behaviour Adviser in which he supported training teams at several different rehoming centres. Al has been involved with and has run courses for many organisations and continues to assist professional bodies on advanced training techniques including Guide Dogs, West Midlands Police DTC, Thames Valley DTC and the Defence Animal Centre. He has spoken at national and international conferences including the 2015, 2017 and 2018 International Companion Animal Welfare Conference, Impact Working Dog Conference, the BSAVA Congress in 2017 and The Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies.

In addition to his work in the UK Al has travelled to many different countries instructing and advising governments and NGOs on the humane capturing techniques of street dogs.

Al has competed at the highest levels in Working Trials with several dogs and now lives with 1 adopted collie, Fenrir. Fenrir started competing in 2019, gaining 2 working dog qualifications and 2 first places at his first Working Trial at 19 months old.

Al is a fully qualified Certificated Animal Trainer with a BSc in Applied Canine Behaviour and Training and is a Karen Pryor Academy Certified Training Partner. He also has gained national certificates in Animal Psychology, Companion Animal Welfare & Behavioural Rehabilitation and Advanced Instructing Techniques.

Gwen is a Credited Training Partner with Karen Pryor Academy and a Registered Animal Trainer with the Animal Behaviour & Training Council, Certified Trainer with INTODogs and ICAN and a Qualified Trainer with IMDT. Gwen has a City & Guilds in Scent Detection and is a fully qualified Scent Instructor. She has a Post Graduate Certificate in Coaching alongside a Masters equivalent in People Development.
An avid dog lover, Gwen’s current dogs are all spaniels but she has a long history of owning a variety of breeds and cross-breeds. Passionate about the therapeutic value of dogs, one of Gwen’s dogs previously worked as a Therapet and she previously volunteered herself as a Puppy Socialiser for Medical Detection Dogs.

Fiona is from Arisaig on the West of Scotland and has worked extensively as an opera singer. Fiona’s father Donald MacDonald, served in the Royal Navy during the Second World War which led to a lifelong interest in veteran welfare. Fiona has been involved in supporting veterans for more than twenty years, fundraising and as a trustee of several charities including time as Chair of the Wilfred Owen Association. She founded BRAVEHOUND in 2013.
Fiona is a Fellow of the inaugural CLORE Leadership in Military Charities programme and was selected by the Prime Minister as a recipient of a Point of Light Award in 2019. Her Scotty, Gwyneth is BRAVEHOUND’s Mascot Dog.

Aga joined the Bravehound team as a Bookkeeper in February 2020. Starting her career in Poland as a primary school teacher she soon realigned her career and five years ago gained her UK recognised qualifications. Since then she has worked for chartered accountants and more recently a letting agency. Aga moved from Szczecin, Poland 15 years ago, to Scotland. As a stickler for rules, she enjoys here continual study and is currently a voluntary active board member for a local housing association. Having grown up with dogs Aga got the lovely ‘Pies’, just over five years.

David joined Bravehound as a Trustee in October 2021 as he retired from the Army. When asked why he would like to join the Bravehound team, his answer was “it’s a no brainer – veterans and dogs; what’s not to like about that!” David has seen first-hand the positive impact dogs can have on service personnel generally when deployed on operations and is very proud to be able to be involved with Bravehound. David Commissioned into the Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) and served in various roles throughout his career including numerous operational deployments. He is now a Programme Director with Barclays in Glasgow and is a member of the Institute of Directors. He is married with two daughters and a fantastic Border Collie.

Colin has been a Trustee since 2019 and is qualified with Deloittes in Glasgow and has spent virtually all of his career as a Finance Director: ten years in the NHS, eight years in a large education charity in London, six years at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (including oversight of the WW1 centenary programme) and since 2018, as FD and COO of The Children’s Trust in Surrey.
With the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, Colin spent six years on the Ethics Committee and a further six years on the Charities Committee, which he now chairs.
Colin is also Treasurer of the Wilfred Owen Association and the Old Talbot House Foundation and works with the Never Such Innocence charity.
Colin and his wife live in Bath. They have two grown up sons.

Fiona joined Bravehound in October 2021, she is a Registered Veterinary Nurse with over 20 years experience working in the Veterinary industry. Fiona was a Council Member of the British Veterinary Nursing Association for 10 years and its President in 2015, she is currently Chair of its Advisory Board. Throughout her career as a Registered Veterinary Nurse Fiona has always been acutely aware of the impact that the relationship with a dog can have especially for those with mental health issues and wanted to support Bravehound as a result. Fiona is currently a Business Support Manager with an international veterinary group. She is married an officer in the Royal Navy and lives with two Jack Russell Terriers.

Damien has been an amazing supporter and friend of Bravehound from the beginning and we’re incredibly proud to announce that he has agreed to be a patron of Bravehound. Damien Lewis is a number one bestselling author whose books have been translated into over forty languages worldwide. For decades he worked as a war and conflict reporter for the world’s major broadcasters, reporting from across Africa, South America, the Middle and Far East and winning numerous awards. His books include the World War Two classics Churchill’s Secret Warriors, The Nazi Hunters and Hunting the Nazi Bomb. A dozen of his books have been made, or are being made, into movies or TV drama series and several have been adapted as plays for the stage. He has raised tens of thousands of pounds for charitable concerns connected with his writing. → DAMIENLEWIS.COM

Jason became a Bravehound Patron in July 2020 and has supported BRAVEHOUND’s Festival of Remembrance and fundraising events in partnership with the Parachute Regiment Charity Support Our Paras, as well as performances of Theater of War and the memorial event to celebrate the life of RAF veteran and humanitarian Sir Nicholas Winton.