Dogs help Scottish patients - pet insurance for dogs

Posted : 14-04-2008

Scottish hospitals and residential patients are benefiting from the healing effects of dogs though a new service.

Canine Concern Scotland has started providing a Therapet programme, or visits from dogs to help patients, to several Edinburgh hospitals and nursing homes, reports the Edinburgh News.

Douglas Ruthven of Canine Concern Scotland notes how stroking and talking to an animal can lower blood pressure, stress and anxiety levels and says he notices the benefits are especially strong for children.

"Dogs are an emotional outlet. It makes people feel like there's something here that really likes me and is looking for my company," he told the newspaper.

Mr Ruthven's beliefs are backed up by research carried out in New York, which suggested heart attack victims with pets lived longer, and also claimed there were benefits for stroke and rehabilitation patients.

Canine Concern Scotland Trust was founded in 1988 to help dogs and their owners.

In addition to the Therapet service, it also runs workshops in responsible dog ownership and promotes research into the therapeutic benefits of pets.

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