If you are a dog owner you may be interested in hearing about a scheme that has been running in Scotland for a number of years. Dog owners already know all about the love and joy that their pets can introduce into their lives. This joy is now being spread amongst some of the most isolated and vulnerable people in society thanks to the Canine Concern Scotland Trust. Douglas Ruthven is a dog owner and a trustee of the charity Therapet which organised visits by volunteer dogs and their owners into places such as care homes, hospital wards, sheltered housing and hospices all over Scotland.
Any type of dog can be registered as a volunteer, but they will need to be assessed for their suitability for the work first. Temperament is everything as they will need to be comfortable interacting with people. Ruthven explains that:“We now have dogs visiting all the major hospitals. The agreement between the charity and NHS Lothian has been a forerunner for agreements with other health boards. The charity has similar arrangements in Greater Glasgow, Forth Valley and Grampian. We’ve got very good access and have received excellent cooperation from NHS Lothian, particularly from the voluntary services managers. We also have a new initiative which has just begun with dogs visiting the Maggie’s Centre in Edinburgh. The manager there is very keen.”
This is an extremely rewarding volunteering opportunity for dog owners and you could always set up a similar pet scheme in your local area.
