Doggy duo a hit with patients as pet therapy goes to Chepstow hospital

The retriever duo, and owners Keith and Lesley Arnold, have begun regular visits to Chepstow Community Hospital, where they are proving a big hit with patients and staff.

And if a partnership between Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and the charity Pets As Therapy takes off, patients in hospitals across Gwent will be receiving four-legged visitors too.

Llewellyn - Welly for short - who will be 11 years old next month, and his two-and-a-half year-old son Sunny, have been proven through rigorous assessment to have the ideal temperament for the ward environment.

And though they have been visiting Chepstow's hospital for just three weeks, their positive effect is palpable.

Not all patients want a visit from these loveable canines, but those who do can be sure of Llewelyn and Sunny's undivided attention - at least for as long as it takes to be given a treat in return for a stroke or a pat.

Patients who might not receive a visitor for long periods of time, can have their day transformed by a short encounter with the dogs.

Llewelyn and Sunny are a tonic for a range of patients, from those with dementia, to people undergoing rehabilitation after falls and orthopaedic procedures such as hip replacements.

"It lets patients anticipate something joyful, rather than just waiting for their care, or getting anxious about it," said Rachel Lee, senior nurse on St Arvans Ward.

"Llewelyn and Sunny are new to the hospital but we have had therapy dogs here before and they have a valuable role to play.

"We had a patient here who did not speak but after a few minutes with the dog, he was talking to it and making a fuss of it, and that was a real change.

"And the dog really focused on this patient, like it knew he was The One. The dog gave so much it was totally spent afterwards. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it myself.

"They can be the trigger for memories and associations, for instance with patients with dementia."

The health board is aiming to develop a partnership with Pets As Therapy, which works across the UK providing therapeutic visits to hospitals, hospices, nursing and care homes, and range of other venues by volunteers with their pet dogs and other animals.

Understandably, given the needs of a hospital environment, the health board insists on stringent checks on both volunteers and their pets - but Pets As Therapy is rigorous too in its assessment process.

Volunteers also have to make an annual contribution to cover the cost of things such as insurance, and the PAT t-shirts.

Kate Morgan-Lloyd, the charity's contact in the Gwent area, takes would-be volunteers through that assessment process, essential as not all pets are suitable for hospital visits.

"It is detailed and rigorous, but it needs to be because of the vulnerable people that the pets are coming into contact with," she said.

"I think Pets As Therapy volunteers are the best people in the world - they are paying to be a volunteer, really, and some travel a long way for their visits.

"But I know of life changing stories due to some of the encounters, and I get very passionate about it, because this is good work.

"Recruitment is our issue. We're always on the look-out and we would be thrilled to get a heap more people - and their pets - involved."

Anyone considering volunteering themselves and their pets for such visits can find application packs and more details on the website www.petsastherapy.org