Dementia therapy dogs
press release - June 29 2011
Two former rescue dogs are bringing hours of pleasure to people with dementia.
Whippets Monty and Dave are frequent visitors to the Sidmouth Club run by Alzheimer’s Support in the Wiltshire town of Devizes. Monty, who came from Bath Cats and Dogs Home, and five year old Dave, from another RSPCA home in the north, love being made a fuss of by members.
Club manager Grant Newton said, who owns the dogs said: “I brought Monty and Dave in today and two of the members spent virtually the whole morning with them, completely engrossed.
“There is one lady here who doesn’t remember my name but she always remembers the dogs and asks for them when they are not here.
“We have three members who had to give up their own dogs when they moved to sheltered accommodation and it is great for them to have that contact again.It sparks memories and conversations about their own former pets.”
Paula Sanford, a physiotherapist with the Avon and Wiltshire Partnership, who visits the club regularly, said: “There is plenty of research showing that animals are therapeutic. Monty and Dave are incredibly calm dogs and you see the service users stroke them and talk about them and talk to them. The dogs don’t ask them to repeat themselves or remind them that they have said that already.”
Phil Bonardi, son in law of 95-year-old club member Jack Endersby said: “The dogs provide great stimulation and make him look forward to going to the club. He always remembers what he did with the dogs.”
The dogs are not just therapeutic. Last weekend they were named Champions (non-pedigree) at the prestigious Bowood Dog Show.
Grant said: “We didn’t enter them entirely seriously, but the judges were very impressed with them, especially when they heard all about their work in the club.”
Inspired by Monty and Dave, members of the club have knitted dog blankets to donate to the Bath Cats and Dogs home.
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