A man's best friend
12/05/2007
It is amazing how many smiles are raised not only by residents but also staff and visitors at the Stamford Bridge Beaumont Care Home when Bernadette Oliver and her 'Pets As Therapy' dog Benjy arrive. Benjy, a blue merle Sheltie is a very tactile dog and is a big hit with the residents, many of whom owned animals previously and miss the companionship of a pet. Bernadette is a ‘'ets As Therapy' volunteer and visits Stamford Bridge Beaumont each week with Benjy, and finds that he breaks the ice with new people very quickly. Many of the residents she visits love to recall their memories of dogs, cats and even a lamb that they had as pets. P.A.T dogs have to pass a behaviour assessment test before being accepted and they soon realise as they visit an establishment whether it be a nursing home, hospital or school that they are "working".