Islay with her owner Gill Shillaker.

Pets as Therapy dogs provide comfort to thousands

Six worthy candidates have been selected as finalists for the Pets as Therapy National Dog of the Year award.

The finalists include a miniature schnauzer called Islay, who makes regular visits to her local hospice, Dove House in Hull. Together with her owner Gill Shillaker, Islay sees patients in the Day Unit and Bedded Unit,  providing comfort and a lot of happiness.

Marnee, a golden retriever from East Sussex, is another finalist who has great experience of helping others. Along with her owner Noel Austin, Marnee works within stroke rehabilitation, helps those with mental and physical disabilities, and brings comfort to autistic children and severe dementia sufferers.

Other finalists include an Alsatian who visits care homes in Kent, a border collie who calms upset children in primary schools, and a dog called Kahlea - a samoyed who visits a variety of care homes with her owner Margaret Wilding.

The last of the six finalists is Lily, a Tibetan spaniel who visits a variety of places with her owner Sylvia Andrews. They include Carers Choice in Whitehouse - a day centre for adults with mental and physical disabilities - and Peaceful Place in Rochford, a centre which helps people suffering from the onset of young dementia.

The finalists will proudly march around the Crufts main arena on Friday, 6 March as details of their achievements are announced to the audience.

The winner will be chosen by a celebrity panel and will receive £500 plus a three months supply of dog food.

Competition sponsor Peter Parkinson said: “We look forward to hearing about these marvellous dogs and how they are reaching out and improving the lives of those in need.
 
“The commitment and dedication of the dogs and owners is awe-inspiring. I’m sure they will receive a warm welcome at Crufts as they all arrive with moving stories to share. The light they shine on other people’s lives makes them all winners in our eyes.”

Pets as Therapy is an independently funded charity with over 5,000 volunteers.  Their registered PAT dogs visit care homes, schools, prisons and hospitals to provide animal assisted therapy, bringing comfort, smiles and friendship to thousands of people every week. 

Image (C) Yours Magazine/Sean Spencer/UMP