Have you ever heard of a Therapet? Therapets and their owners regularly visit hospitals, day centres nursing homes and schools, where the pets provide a little four-legged therapy and companionship to animal lovers who aren’t able to care for a pet full-time.
The Therapet Service was established in 1988 by Canine Concern Scotland Trust, a Scottish Charitable Trust.
Carers of East Lothian can refer directly to Therapet to organise a visit from a dog for a carer or the person they care for in their home. Therapet can provide visits from cats as well as dogs, but there is less availability with this service.
Therapet say “Therapets come in all breeds, cross-breeds and mongrels. They can be small, medium or large. Their main characteristic is a steady and happy temperament. Therapets must be at least one year old and must have been owned by the volunteer for at least six months. All potential Therapets are assessed as to their suitability by our Area Representatives or by other people well experienced in dog behaviour such as Dog Trainers or Veterinary Surgeons. All Volunteers with registered Therapets are issued with our Therapet Health Protocol which sets out the health standards required of the Therapets.
“Our Volunteers come from all backgrounds. We require all new volunteers to provide two independent references as to their character and suitability for participating in the Therapet Service. All volunteers must be members of the Protecting Vulnerable Groups Scheme (the “PVG Scheme).”
If you are interested in a Therapet visit, please contact us on 01316650135 or centre@coel.org.uk There are no charges associated with this service.
**Please note, some volunteers and their animals are trained to work with children.
