‘COMPANIONS ON PAWS’

COMES TO AGE CONCERN HOROWHENUA!

Age Concern Horowhenua is starting a new pet visiting service and is currently recruiting dogs and their owners for this companionship programme!

We recognise that loneliness and social isolation can adversely affect an older person’s mental, emotional and physical health, and research in New Zealand shows that many people demonstrate great health improvement through simple interactions with animals.

Our new visiting service is designed to sit alongside our current AVS service to assist in the reduction of loneliness and isolation for older people living in their own home in the Horowhenua, by having a visit from a volunteer and their pet.

As with all Age Concern Horowhenua services all volunteers (human and animal) will be thoroughly vetted.

Everyone wins with this service!

• People look forward to a dog visit and feel energised and comforted afterwards.

• Dogs love being patted, cuddled and talked to, often responding by gazing at the person as if listening carefully to what is being said. Many dogs are also playful and mischievous.

• Dog owners love to observe the pleasure their pets bring to others. A dog visit can have a profound effect for the older person, if they enjoy the company of dogs.

It is planned to vary the visits and build up a strong relationship between the dog owner, dog and client, with the future possibility of a dog walk with client and dog owner if they wish.

We are extremely interested in hearing from anyone who owns a dog who would be suitable for visiting an older person and is interested in becoming a dog visitor volunteer. Please contact our AVS Coordinator

Charlene for further information.

Or if you would like a visit from a dog and their owner starting soon, please contact Charlene on (06) 3672181.