PAT DOGS
The PAT Dog Hospital scheme was devised by Lesley
Scott-Ordish when she became aware of the unhappy situation facing many
elderly people who have to give up their loved dogs to go into residential
care. Lesley Scott-Ordish is the founder of PRO Dogs (1976) from which
the sister charity Pets As Therapy, incorporating PAT Dogs started in 1983.
Pets As Therapy became a separate charity in its own right in 1990.
HOW DOES THE SCHEME WORK?
-
PAT visiting is just about the kindest gift dog owners
can offer, by sharing their own happy dog with people not able to enjoy
animals in their lives. Volunteers, all of whom are members of the sister
charityPRO Dogs and covered by the necessary insurance, offer to take their
dogs on regular visits wherever they are welcome.
-
To be accepted as a PAT Dog, and wear a special disc
on his collar, a dog must pass a temperament test and be shown to have
the friendly, happy and reliable disposition needed to enjoy having a fuss
made of him by different people. PAT Dogs can also wear an identifying
yellow PAT lead and/or a smart PAT coat if their owners wish.
-
The scheme has been found to have all-round benefits:
for people living in residential homes, hospitals and hospices who enjoy
the cisits; for staff in happier and more relaxed clients following the
visits; for volunteers who enjoy going where their dogs are so much appreciated.
Finally, the PAT Dogs themselves like nothing better than to be in the
centre of lots of attention.
PAT DOGS - FRIENDSHIP AT A STROKE
More than 11,000 dogs have registered as PAT Dogs
since the scheme began and make regular visits to hospitals, hospices and
homes for the elderly as well as schools throughout Britain. It was through
recognition of the deprivation caused to many people by lack of contact
with animals, and particularly becuase elderly folk were often required
to have their pets destroyed in order to comply with rules before they
became resident in care homes, that the PAT scheme started in 1983.
People do not easily forgive themselves if forced
into the situation of agreeing to have their much loved elderly dog destroyed
through outside pressures, and the guilt feeling may make it much harder
to adapt to new and strange surroundings. If dogs could be accommodated
with owners, the adjusment would be easier.
PAT Dogs have become tail-wagging friends to thousands
of lonely people who benefit from touching and stroking and enjoying animals
in their lives. Thanks to the understanding dog owners the scheme has grown
to become the largest community service in Europe where dogs bring benefit
to people on a regular basis. But the Pets As Therapy charity is urgently
in need of financial support. Economies have to be made all the time to
publicise the good dogs do and cope with the growing demand.
Please make a donation to support our work if
you can. A cheque or postal order made payable to PAT Dogs, or if you want
to donate by credit card, please complete:
DOCTORS CALL FOR PAT DOGS
Requests from the medical profession to provide PAT
Dogs to help people who have become phobic about dogs are received. PAT
Dogs have been found most suitable to desensitize people whose lives have
become a misery through fear of dogs.
The charity receives requests to assist in certain
stress related illnesses where people are withdrawn and lonely and stop
eating. A PAT Dog to cuddle can provide a release of emotional tension
and a return to the living world. PAT Dogs also help Downs Syndrome children
and the charity initiated its own research to see whether PAT Dogs may
assist in weaning patients off drugs.
