London-based animal welfare charity Mayhew has been given a grant of £145,480 by the Pets at Home Foundation to support the charity’s Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI) programme, TheraPaws.
Since 2012, TheraPaws has provided support for the elderly, young people with mental health issues and patients in hospitals and clinics. TheraPaws is delivered by trained volunteers and their behaviourally assessed dogs to deliver AAI to promote physical, mental and emotional wellbeing. From January to December 2022, the project team made 40 visits and 553 individual therapy engagements to people in locations ranging from hospital wards, care homes, eating disorder clinics, schools and mental health clinics.
Thanks to the grant, a new full time co-ordinator will be recruited to help develop, deliver and manage the TheraPaws programme in order to build more community partnerships, co-ordinate sessions, recruit, train and support volunteers to deliver the programme, increasing the number of visits possible.
Mayhew chief executive Sherine Wheeler said: “This important grant can make a difference to people of all ages in our community. It means we can expand the programme with new partnerships, recruit more volunteers, partner with more venues and improve the health and wellbeing of many more people through our hugely impactful therapeutic pet visits.”
Amy Angus, Pets at Home Foundation charity manager, added: “We’re very proud to work with Mayhew, as not only does it help pets in need, but it cares hugely about the local community too. It is a real privilege to be able to support them.”
The Pets at Home Foundation was established by Pets at Home in 2006 to offer support to pet rehoming centres in the UK, Channel Islands and the Isle of Man, through local fundraising. The charity donated almost £2 million last year through its grant programme, supporting rescues with vet bills, vehicles, equipment and building improvements.
