Pets As Therapy is a national charity with over 4,000 volunteers who together with their temperament assessed P.A.T. dogs and P.A.T cats visit a variety of establishments such as hospitals, hospices, residential homes, nursing homes, day care centres, plus working with phobic children, stroke patients, the clinically depressed and paying visits to both mainstream schools and special needs schools The volunteers give their time freely, bringing with them the unconditional love and companionship only a very special volunteer and pet can bring.

Chris Elton is a Cavalier owner who with her dogs has been closely involved with the organization for many years. She first became involved with Pets As Therapy over 12 years ago after she had lost her much-loved Cavalier Oliver. Her new dog was Robbie, a ruby, and when he was seven months old he became a fully registered P.A.T dog, (they must be nine months old now). She felt that it was her way of saying thank you for sending Robbie and wanted to share him and bring happiness to lots of people as well as herself. Cavaliers are the sort of dogs that love people and adore all the fuss they receive on their Pets As Therapy visits.

Animals are unique in that they demonstrate instinctive and non-judgmental understanding. In this way, they are excellent 'ice-breakers' with people who for one reason or another, do not (or perhaps cannot) communicate with either their carers or their peers but are inspired to talk to animals.

In 1990, Pets as Therapy was granted charitable status. In 2001, Pets as Therapy was one of the charities chosen to benefit from GM TV's Get up and Give Appeal, and in 2002 won the Golden Bone Award for the Best Charity from The Pet Role Trust. More recently, it was awarded the BKR Haines Watts award for "innovation in the non-clinical areas of the NHS Trusts" and very recently the Pets As Therapy Junior Club was awarded the Leeds Building Society Award for excellence.

Pets As Therapy visits can bring other benefits too. Any animal lover can tell you that owning a pet brings immense joy to your life. However, did you know, a fluffy friend could bring a host of physical and emotional health benefits too? Top of the tree are lower blood pressure and reduced stress.

To see someone living a near normal life in the community when the alternative is a lifetime spent in a hospital ward is reward in itself. It would seem therefore that P.A.T dogs have all round benefits. Firstly to the patients, then to the staff as it is far easier to look after people when they are happy and relaxed. The volunteers benefit as they enjoy taking their dogs where they are appreciated and lastly the dogs themselves benefit as they enjoy making new friends and being the centre of attention.

Sadly Robbie died last year; however, Chris now has Murphy, a Black and Tan who is now three years old. He truly adores people and loves all the fuss he receives when visiting the two residential homes in Farnham. As Chris says, "We also take part in the Farnham and Hale carnivals along with a number of fellow volunteers. In addition, we are invited to attend charitable events in the area; once or twice a year we visit Harrods Pet Department to promote the work of Pets As Therapy".

There are, of course, many other dogs doing brave things, and many dogs doing regular worthwhile jobs beside their owners. Guide dogs for the Blind, Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, assistance dogs, working sheep dogs, gun dogs and police dogs etc. These dogs all have to be specially trained for the work they do. However, any dog with a kindly and gentle disposition can be a P.A.T dog, bringing friendship, warmth and intimacy to people in various establishments who are often emotionally lonely and deprived. Human visitors can express sympathy and interest, but only animals are ready to supply that very human need for a bit of a cuddle and caress.

For further information on the organization please contact:
Pets as Therapy, Registrations Office, 3A Grange Farm Cottages
Wycombe Road, Saunderton, Princes Risborough, Bucks, HP27 9NS
Telephone: 01844 345445 Email: Reception@petsastherapy.org
Visit the website www.petsastherapy.org Regional contacts appear on this site