TIME TO ENJOY A TICKLE
Spend a few minutes with Tickle, a gorgeous little Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, and I guarantee you will feel calm and happy.
I got to meet this four-pawed therapist at The Darling Daschund in Howick during a photo shoot for a Rotary club fundraiser last week.
Her owner, Angie Thornton, who lives in Howick, proudly revealed that she had passed her evaluation to become a therapy dog. Tickle was one of several dogs put through their paces during a session at the Mulberry Hill Bistro.
The little dog will be working for new therapy dog NPO, Angel Paws, which will be operating both in the KZN Midlands and at the coast.
“We now have five teams in Howick, and will be available for animal assisted activity (AAA) visits to facilities such as frail care centres, hospitals, businesses, schools and so on,” Thornton said.
“Some of the benefits of AAA include lowering of blood pressure and stress levels, increasing positive hormones and endorphins, lifting spirits, promoting happiness, and controlling pain. Visits also increase communication and evoke happy memories of past pets, stimulate activity, and heighten a person’s selfesteem. The benefits of a therapy visit have been proven to last from several hours to weeks following the visit.”
Angel Paws will also be offering animal assisted therapy, during which they will work with therapists to help in physical rehabilitation and with teachers to improve children’s reading skills. Psychologists will also make use of the service to help c ounsel people after a traumatic incident.
“We also have an education programme aimed at teaching children to care and respect animals and the hug-a-tree bite avoidance programme, which is suitable for children aged four years old and older,” said Thonrton.
To find out more about the programmes or to have your family dog evaluated as a therapy dog, contact Angie via email at angelpawssa2@gmail.com or call her at
083 715 5344.