Pets As Therapy is a national charity founded in 1983 by Lesley Scott-Ordish. Dogs are behavioural assessed for their suitability and then go on to provide help and support where they can in the community. The wellbeing benefits of having a dog around are undeniable so you’ll often find PAT dogs working in hospitals, hospices, nursing and care homes and special needs schools.

We’re very fortunate to have very special dogs and their owners doing outstanding work with Pets As Therapy, representing the breed, making a difference in their communities.

Meet Micky and Milo.

Micky

Micky is a PAT dog from Wales and lives with his owner Julie Crowley.

How old is Micky?
Mickey is 6.

How long has Micky been working as a PAT dog?
He has been a PAT dog for about 3 1/2 years.

What made you want to get into Pets As Therapy work?
I used to teach disabled riders, on my own horses, as part of the Riding for the Disabled Association. I realised what an positive effect animals can have, giving such pleasure and sense of achievement to the recipients. I found out about the PAT charity through a friend who trained at our local dog club. It is lovely to be able to share my dogs with others for a short time.

What did you have to do to qualify?
To become a PAT dog, both the handler and dog are assessed. Friendliness, temperament, steadiness under pressure, food manners, not jumping up and generally being under control are the main things needed. All dogs must be fit & healthy, vaccinated and not fed raw food.

Would you recommend PAT work to others?
If you have the time, and have a suitable dog, I would definitely recommend PAT. It takes a regular commitment, but it is certainly worth the effort. I have met a lot of interesting people and find it very rewarding. In addition the dogs love the attention.

Do you have any nice stories to tell us about him/his work? 
One gentleman we see was very nervous of dogs and would not go near or touch the dogs. It took a year, but one day he said he wanted to stroke Mickey and then had his picture taken to show his mother.

Another lady, who has Alzheimer’s, does not speak. However, when she sees the dogs she talks to them.

The children at the schools we visit love to read to the dogs. One parent said that when her child said she was reading to a dog, she thought it must be a toy one & the child was imagining it. She was amazed when she met the child’s teacher and found out the dog was real.

Mickey has represented PAT on the KC Bark & Read stand at Crufts & Discover Dogs, where we met Prince Michael of Kent.

Milo

Milo is a PAT dog and lives with his owner Jonny Nagler.

How old is Milo?
Milo is 4 in November 2018.

How long has Milo been working as a PAT dog?
He has been a PAT dog for 3 years.

What made you want to get into Pets As Therapy work?
Milo was such a suitable dog that I felt it would be a waste if he didn’t do something.

What did you have to do to qualify?
I had to train Milo to pass a behavioural / suitability assessment set by PAT.

Would you recommend PAT work to others?
Absolutely!

Do you have any nice stories to tell us about him/his work?
With the nurses in the photo, they were in training and taking their final exams. They get so stressed as they only have one chance to pass otherwise it’s 3-4 years training and the associated costs down the drain – no retakes. Out of 20 + nurses on final exams approx 20% faint, throw up or have nosebleeds through the stress of the exams. But not with a PAT dog on hand – 100% success rate of no student nurse incidents ! And 98% exam pass rate! It’s a 4-6 hour day for Milo as they take the practical exams in shifts.