When James Hill was forced to leave the Forces he took his love of dogs with him

For most injured veterans, Headley Court was a place where they began their long, and often difficult, rehab journeys. For James ‘Jimmy’ Hill, it was certainly that – but it was also the place that inspired a brilliant business idea.

“I remember getting into the hydrotherapy pool for the first time at Headley, putting a float band on and being told to run. It felt fantastic!” says Jimmy, now 41. “I was sprinting. I could actually feel my muscles engaging again. You could just feel how much good it was doing.

“I’ve always loved dogs – I grew up with them. I didn’t know what I was going to do after the military, and the hydrotherapy got me thinking that it could work really well for them, too. Dogs that have had surgery and are stiff and sore, or older operating in the Gulf chasing down pirates, terrorists, and traffickers – I knew they would benefit both mentally and physically from swimming.

The pun-tastically monikered Pawseidon Canine Rehabilitation Centre in Poole was the end result. This bespoke suite offers space and comfort for dogs to relax whilst being coached in remedial and specialised exercises. It has become a thriving business, providing for canines what health and wellness coaches do for humans – as well as having its own puppy training unit for those just starting out.

The name is a reference to Jimmy’s background as a Royal Marine and member of the Special Boat Service (SBS). Birmingham born-and-raised, he has had a long journey to get to this point.

“I was a fit, young lad, played football to a high standard and, at the age of 23, I joined the Royal Marines Commandos,” says Jimmy. “I didn’t look back. I served at Fleet Protection Group (FPG) Scotland, then I joined the maritime security team operating in the Gulf chasing down pirates, terrorists, and traffickers. Following that in 2010, we went out to Afghanistan. We lost a lot of guys out there, and I wanted a more direct and purposeful role. I felt that if there was going to be sacrifice, it needed to be for a good reason. So I applied for the Special Forces and got through selection.

“In 2011, during my time in the SBS, we engaged in targeted operations aimed at addressing global issues. Being part of an organisation capable of influencing positive outcomes gave a deeper sense of purpose to those operations. I witnessed the significant impact those efforts had in ensuring the safety of the UK.”

THE QUIETNESS OF HOSPITAL

We give the owners a physio plan, homework and exercise plans to do, and it’s great when you see an improvement

 It was while on operations in Afghanistan that Jimmy was injured. “That December, we were in a gunfight with a target,” he says. “It was like a stand-off which ended in a cave complex. My Military Working Dog was killed and I sustained multiple gunshot wounds. One hit my helmet, and I took five more to my legs.

“I crawled safely, falling off a mountain top on the way! The rest of the guys fought their way out, got me onto a stretcher and we waited for the helicopters while under fire. Within 24 hours I was in hospital in Bastion. I got back to the UK on Christmas Eve and had my first operation on Christmas Day. I just remember the quietness of hospital. You go from a very fast pace of life – months
of just eating, sleeping and fighting – to nothing. It was a very strange feeling.

“Someone told me my career was over. One bullet had shattered my hip, but the one that caused the most damage went through the sciatic nerve in my left leg giving me drop foot, with no function or feeling from the knee down.

“I accepted it straight away. I knew it was time to move on to the next chapter, but my rehab took so long. I waited two years to see the extent of the nerve damage because the nerve only grows a millimetre a day. The hip also wasn’t uniting because my body was fighting the medical swab that had been left in it. I had 16 operations. But Headley was an amazing place and the staff and set-up were unbelievable. It got me back on my feet.”

Jimmy initially thought he might follow one post-military career that is typical of former Special Forces soldiers; working security and risk contracts. “But I have a family – a wife and kids – and I decided I’d rather stay at home,” he says. “So we put pen to paper on Pawseidon in 2018.

“The business is going well. We do all kinds of things – puppies learning to swim, dogs that have had knee surgery, hip injuries or arthritis, old dogs that need exercise, high-level dog training..

“We work with the local vets who send dogs our way if they initially don’t want to go down the surgical route. We see what we can do. We give the owners a physio plan, homework and exercise plans to do, and it’s great when you see an improvement.”

LIFE AFTER SERVICE

It’s a hugely fulfilling career, adds Jimmy. “Even now I’m learning so much every single day and have just completed my degree in dog behaviour,” he says. “The things that dogs can do are unbelievable. We’ve got a K9 training centre for all different stages of a dog’s life including puppy fundamentals now, too.

“How people treat their dogs these days is very different from when I was growing up. They’re less backyard animals and more part of the family now, so we take the work we do extremely seriously. Owners put their trust in us. They don’t know if we will be able to make a difference, but after eight or 10 sessions, when they come away and they see a real change in their pet, they’re so happy.

“They tell us their dog can jump up on the bed again, or that they wish they’d found us sooner. It’s always the results that win them over rather than anything we can say.

Jimmy is still in the water regularly, too, and not just to help his hounds. “I do open water swimming now, and I took part in my first triathlon recently with the help of Blesma, who funded my leg brace,” he says.

That recognition and assistance works both ways. “We’ve done a fundraiser for Blesma this year to raise some money, and I’ve also taken part in a Blesma golf week in Portugal, which was great. It came at the right time. I needed a break and a refocus, and it was nice to meet guys I’ve not met before and see what they’re going through. Talking to other Members, trying to help people who might be really struggling, giving your insight on how you got through things, that’s all really helpful.

Jimmy and his team are also planning to organise a triathlon in the Dorset area for Blesma Members. “It would be brilliant to do something down here,” he says. “You don’t realise how easy running is until you are injured, and then you have to work out things like braces or prosthetics. I know it is difficult but it can be done, so anything we can get going will be great.”

Knowing Jimmy, it will be a success. If there’s one man who knows exercise, and the water, it’s him – and whether you’re human or canine, chances are he can get you moving!