At Home With Lorraine Kelly 2017 - 274
ANIMAL MAGIC LIVING WITH A PET CAN BE HUGELY REWARDING FOR FAMILIES. AS WELL AS PROVIDING A CONSTANT SOURCE OF FUN AND FRIENDSHIP, DOGS IN PARTICULAR CAN HELP YOUNGSTERS WITH EMOTIONAL AND HEALTH ISSUES 'Chloe is very special to us' SOMEONE WHO HAS SEEN THE POSITIVE EFFECTS OF PET THERAPY IS TASH LAW, A 28-YEAROLD NANNY WHO OWNS WEST HIGHLAND TERRIER CHLOE, A THERAPY DOG 'Whenever I felt upset about something or a family member was unwell, Chloe would sense it and become very protective towards us. I once had an asthma attack and she quickly alerted my brother by barking and "pulling" him into my room,' reca s ash ro ondon. 'I knew there was something very special about her, so I decided to contact the charity Pets As Therapy to see if she would make a suitab e candidate. er y references were checked, Chloe underwent a number of tests to ensure she had the skills required to be a therapy dog - and she assed with flying co ours. 'I was very keen to work with children and so I have been taking Chloe into a hospital unit, where she provides comfort to kids with severe eating disorders. 'Every time we visited, the children's eyes would light up and they were a lot happier in the time they spent with Chloe. 'One week, a child opened up to me about her problems and my heart melted as she hadn't spoken or participated in any "therapy" sessions all week. It transpired the girl had bonded with Chloe and told me the dog had given her the con dence she needed to speak up. 'Chloe has such a calm nature - she never stops wagging her tail when she sits with the children, and they seem to let their guard down as soon as they are in her company. It's lovely to see.' 274 | AUGUST 2017