Dorothy loves cheering up care home residents, Daisy comforts grieving families and Vincent eases the stress of prisoners.
They may have human names, but these wellbeing warriors are in fact four-legged therapets who are bringing unconditional love, hope and health benefits to the people across the north and north-east of Scotland.
From schools, airports and helipads to prisons, hospitals and care homes, the dogs, who are all assessed and vetted by the Canine Concern Scotland Trust charity, are helping to reduce stress and anxiety one tail wag at a time.
Today we meet some of the hero hounds – and their amazing owners – who are bringing their healing powers to the local community.
Let’s start off with a funeral parlour pooch who helps lift people up at the lowest points in their lives…
1. Daisy, the funeral home spaniel who comforts grieving families
When Laura Wood sees the comfort her beautiful therapet Daisy gives grieving families, nothing makes her heart sing more.
“You care for your families and my job is to try and look after them as much as possible so seeing my wee dog who means so much to me give so much comfort to them is honestly so lovely,” says Laura.
Describing Daisy as a dream dog who always senses when someone needs a cuddle, it was a no brainer for Laura to bring her into Joe Dawsons Funeral Home in Buckie where she works as a funeral director.
“I always let families know that I have a therapy dog and ask them if it’s OK,” says Laura.
“Someone once said to me that they weren’t keen on dogs but they were OK with Daisy being there.
“When they got upset, Daisy jumped up beside them and I was telling her to get down but they said they didn’t mind and they actually appreciated the cuddle which was really sweet.
“You see their face light up – she’s definitely a comfort.”
Daisy madesuch an impact on one family that they even mentioned her at the funeral.
“At the funeral, the family were very kindly thanking us for everything we’d done and they gave a special thanks to Daisy for beingsuch a comfort and joy to them,” says Laura.
“The celebrant hadbeen doing funerals for 31 years and it was the first time that he’d ever been asked to thank a dog at a funeral service.”
2. The therapets bringing hope and joy to prisoners
When Diane Wood MBE takes her therapets Naso and Nola into HMP Grampian in Peterhead every month, the prisoners often tell her it’s the highlight of their week.
“The prisoners also love to hear Naso’s story as he’s a rescue dog from Italy who was found hanging from a tree with his nose and feet duct taped,” says Diane, from Oldmeldrum who was recently awarded an MBE for her incredible work with the charity.
“He’s had a horrible beginning but he’s landed on his feet so they really love Naso and they get so excited to see him.”
For the past six years, Diane, who is the chairwoman and area representative forthe Canine Concern Scotland Trust, has been visiting the prison with her therapets alongside Bill Ledingham, an orthapedic surgeon who also volunteers his time to take his dogs into the prison.
Bill also find the experience rewarding.
“The prisoners have often had dogs themselves that they miss so they like the contact with the dogs,” says Bill.
“It’s lovely as they chat away and often get quite emotional about things.”
Leanne Duncan, who is the offender outcomes unit manager at the prison, says the therapets have had such a positive impact.
“It gives the prisoners time toforget about everything else, says Leanne.
“It’s quite a calming time and a relaxing experience.
“We do have individuals that might not necessarily be confident enough when speaking to other people but they will sit and chat to the dog and it’s a different kind of connection.
“That opens up conversations so it allows for personal officers to speak to people andbuild on our professional relationships as well.
“On the whole it has been very positive for us.”
3. Helpful Hamish, the golden retriever bringing calm to the classroom
Watching children read to her gentle golden retriever called Hamish, is always a heartwarming moment for Jean Hopkins.
Every Tuesday morning, Jean, who lives in Potterton with her husband John, takes Hamish, a 10-year-old therapet into Udny Green Primary School near Ellon.
“Hamish loves his trips to the school,” says Jean, who is retired.
“Sometimes we go for a walk with the children up to Udny Castle or in the wooded area that the children have access to next to the school and sometimes we sit and one of the children will read to Hamish and that’s absolutely lovely.
“It’s amazing tosee a child sitting reading with one hand while stroking Hamish with the other hand.”
With his gentle nature, Jean says Hamish brings a sense of calm to the classroom.
“Hamish is from Budapest in Hungary,” says Jean.
“When he came to us he was incredibly sad and he didn’t know how to play butour other dog taught him how to play and have fun
“He’s the perfect temperament for a therapet.”
4. The Canine Crew at Aberdeen airport assisting nervous flyers
Clair Petrie will never forget the moment her lovable pooch Enzo, a fox red labrador, calmed a distressed passenger at Aberdeen Airport.
“I remember there was a bride and groom who had come up to Aberdeen to get married and they were flying back to London but their flight had been cancelled so the poor bride was sitting in floods of tears,” says Clair, 52, an HR team lead from Inverurie.
“Butwithin two or three minutes of meeting Enzo she was composed and hugging the dog.
“She said it really lifted her spirits and calmed her down.”
Clair and Enzo are part of the ‘Canine Crew’, a team of therapets who bring a sense of calm to the check in gates and departure lounge at Aberdeen Airport.
Also part of the Canine Crew is Kate Broadley and her happy little pug cross called Doug.
“Walking through the airport with your dogis a really bizarre thing to do because you don’t really see dogs in airports butit’s amazing as everyone looks up and smiles,” says Kate, 31, from Aberdeen.
“It also cheers up the staff.”
One moment that will always stay with Kate is when Doug helped to calm a little boy down.
“There was a family going away somewhere with a young boy who did not want to get on the plane,” says Kate.
“Seeing Doug and walking with the family to the departure gate really calmed him down.
“It’s moments like that which really cement why we do this.”
Fraser Bain, project manager at Aberdeen Airport, says the Canine Crew has been a huge success.
“The dogs themselves are obviously a big hit and people love to pat them but people enjoy chatting to the volunteers too,” says Fraser.
“The volunteers often talk about people opening up and share things with them so it’s a great way to open up conversations.
“The other plus side has been the staff side of it as they welcome the dogs as much as the passengers.
“The staff are working hard on the front line so it’s a nice distraction for them too.”
5. Dorothy the Jack Russell, who helps care home residents reminisce
Dogs are often said to have a sixth sense and that is certainly the case with Dorothy.
The super friendly Jack Russell always seems to know when residents at Pitcairn Lodge Nursing Home in Skene want a cuddle.
“She’s really in tune with the residents there so if someone is upset or a bit distressed she’ll go and seek them out and want to sit with them,” says her ownerCarole Ledingham, from Banchory.
As the daughter of a dementia sufferer, Carole wanted to share the joy of her dogs with other people who can no longer have a dog of their own.
“Another benefit of Dorothy’s visits is that the residents reminisce about pets they have had in the past,” says Carole, who is a trustee director of Canine Concern Scotland Trust and an area representative for the charity.
“The presence of a dog can stimulate conversation when a friend or relative is visiting.
“This prompt can enable people to talk about family pets or life on the farm with working dogs.”
Carole, whose husband Bill (mentioned previously) takes Dorothy plus their other two therapets Wilfred and Vincent to HMP Grampian, says she also gets a lot of their weekly visit to the care home.
“I really enjoy our visits to Pitcairn and I get a lot out of it too,” says Carole.
“I like being able to chat to the residents and their family and friends and enjoy seeing them getting pleasure from Dorothy’s visit.”
6. The Helipets getting offshore workers talking before they head out to the rigs
As a former offshore worker, Dave Duncan knows all too well what it’s like to be waiting around a heliport.
“You see people with faces buried in newspapers,” says Dave.
“In Aberdeen we get plenty of fog so there can be lots of delays in the heliport.”
But earlier this year Dave and a team of amazing volunteers have been taking their therapets – or helipets as they’re known – into the heliport to bring some light relief for passengers.
“The therapets change the dynamic,” says Dave, 61.
“People will maybe sit next to each who would maybe of never spoken and start talking about their dogs.
“It’s the same with the staff, they get something out of it too.
“It’s just something that takes away the mundane.”
Dave and his partner Joyce Scott, love taking their therapets Cara and Lunna, both English pointers, to the heliport.
“It has been such a success and we’re keen to build on that,” says Dave.
The Canine Concern Scotland Trust are always looking for more therapets and volunteers.
For more information, check out their website therapet.org.uk or email info@canineconcernscotland.org.uk
