PAT (Pets As Therapy) exists to pair people in need with animals thus bringing comfort and companionship to those in hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, special needs schools and many other places.
 
The organisation's dogs and cats can be found on stroke rehabilitation units where they can help people to improve their mobility by interacting with them. Those who are lonely and withdrawn will often respond to the affection provided by a PAT dog or cat when human contact has otherwise failed. This is often the first step to recovery.
 
Lots of PAT dogs are also working under the direction of clinical psychologists with children who suffer from dog-related phobias, so helping help them develop their confidence to walk or play in their neighbourhoods without any fear or stress.
 
Over 4,500 PAT dogs and 106 PAT cats visit over 7,000 sites throughout the UK, and over 130,000 patients every single week benefit from the service provided by Pets As Therapy.
 
Pets As Therapy also run a Junior Club which is open to anyone under the age of 18.
 
All candidate PAT dogs and cats undergo a temperament test which is carried out by a Pets As Therapy-trained assessor. It is only the temperament of the animal that is important, not its size or pedigree.  
 
Graham Bourgoing, the Area Coordinator for Brighton, said:
"For some time I have been taking my PAT dog Lucy (a 5 year old golden retriever) to meet patients in the stroke unit of The Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton. Only last week while on the stroke unit with Lucy, one patient's son said it was the first time that he had seen his mother smile since she was admitted, a reward in itself. In small ways PAT dogs and cats bring gentle companionship to the patients and staff alike.  Sometimes it is hard to leave the staff room as nurses and doctors take time out to pat and talk to Lucy, I think I'm just Lucy's enabler as she is always and quiet rightly the star on the wards!

"I sometimes think to simply see a patient smile is my reward as a Pets As Therapy Volunteer.  I find that it is the PAT dogs that tell their own stories by their presences.  I have discovered that Lucy and many other PAT dogs have an inner sense of knowing just how ill some patients are, and adapt their gentle manner accordingly.  On these occasions Lucy will quietly sit next to the patient and rest her head on their hand.

"I remember an elderly lady who had been admitted recently who told me that she had never been in hospital before and that she was frightened, and I could see she was confused too. Just before I was leaving her ward, I noticed that this lady had two visitors but she was very distressed and crying aloud. Lucy stopped in her tracks looked towards the bed, so I gently ask one of the ladies to vacate her chair next to the patient in order that I could get Lucy up to her mother's eye level.  To my amazement the elderly lady stopped crying and began to stroke Lucy's head.  If I give Lucy's gift a name, then I think it would be me only trying to understand something that only Lucy herself fully knows."

To support the charity send a cheque made payable to Pets As Therapy to: Pets As Therapy, 3a Farm Cottages, Wycombe Road, Saunderton, Princes Risborough, Bucks, HP27 9NS.

Or pay by debit/credit card via:
www.justgiving.com/sponsoravolunteercampaign  
 
For more information on becoming a volunteer or supporter view: www.petsastherapy.org

or call 01844 345445.