Therapy Dogs are spreading paw-sitivity to the people of Salford. Dogs like Fly and Maggie support people’s mental health by providing attention and comfort.
Sami Speakman has been volunteering for Therapy Dogs in Swinton for two years now and has seen the ‘brilliant’ benefits of animal-assisted therapy. Ms. Speakman said: “Everyone gets so much from your dog visiting them, it warms your heart, you’re doing a little bit of good. That one-hour visit makes such a difference, you come away feeling amazing.”
According to The Beeches Residential Home, multiple studies have found that being around animals can improve moods and reduce the risk of developing depression.
Therapy Dogs Nationwide visit people in hospitals, schools, hospices, prisons, and much more. Children benefit massively from, ‘read and pause’.
Children who struggle to read aloud in class will read to a dog, giving them the confidence they need. Children that have been in hospital beds for months get visits from dogs.
Ms. McCartney, who also volunteers at Therapy Dogs, explained: “They light up. It does them the world of good, It’s a feel-good thing.”
However, they don’t just have a positive effect on establishments. Ms. McCartney said it has ‘massively’ helped her mental health. After bringing Maggie out, she is ‘buzzing’ for the rest of the day
Ms. McCartney continued: “It’s a heartwarming feeling, the dogs make us feel like celebrities.”
Ms. Speakman is passionate that therapy dogs are much needed in Salford as we come into the winter months. She added: “Especially after covid, Salford is just a great community, we need to help each other out. Salford is just a great community.”
After moving from Birmingham to Salford, she said: “It’s so nice to be able to give back to Salford, the city that has taken me under its wing. If that means bringing Fly [dog] wherever he’s needed, that’s what I’ll do.”
She continued: “Everyone knows who Fly is, because of what he does for people in Salford and Swinton.”
A walk that would take Ms. Speakman 10 minutes often takes 30 minutes because of how many people stop to say hello. Fly, and many other therapy dogs, are helping Salfordians’ mental health one paw at a time.
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