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A visit from a therapy pet can brighten someone’s day and offer a welcome change to their usual routine. Thanks to a generous gift from The POD Family through CNWL NHS Health Charity, more patients across Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust (CNWL) will be able to benefit from pet therapy.
The funding is supporting the expansion of pet therapy visits across mental health, rehabilitation and community services. While therapy pets already visit some services, the additional support will help extend these opportunities to more patients across the Trust.
Supporting the next chapter of pet therapy
To celebrate this next chapter, CNWL NHS Health Charity brought together the POD Family, staff, volunteers and their pets at W6 Garden Centre, a valued corporate partner of the charity.
The visit gave the family an opportunity to meet the people and pets at the heart of the programme and share what inspired them to support pet therapy.
The POD Family shared why supporting pet therapy means so much to them:
“Our family has been personally touched by mental health, so we feel privileged to support this work. We believe animals can make a real difference to people's wellbeing, and we're delighted to help bring the benefits of pet therapy to more patients across CNWL.”
The difference a pet can make
Therapy animals can encourage patients to start conversations, bring back memories of much-loved pets and offer something positive to focus on during their care. For some, it may be an opportunity to talk about experiences they share with the animal; for others, simply spending time with a pet can be a welcome part of their day. These interactions can also help ease anxiety, lift morale and build connections, offering comfort and companionship alongside clinical care.
The people and pets behind the visits
At the heart of the service are the volunteers who give their time and the pets who make each visit so special.
For them, volunteering is about more than bringing a friendly dog or cat into a healthcare setting. They’re giving their time because they believe their pets can bring something positive to people who may be going through a difficult period.
Here are some of the volunteers and pets already bringing comfort, connection and a little joy to patients across CNWL.
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Have you been supported by CNWL NHS Foundation Trust, taken part in a fundraiser, or benefited from one of our charity-funded projects? If so, we’d love to hear your story! Whether you’re a patient, staff member, or supporter, your experience could inspire others and show the powerful impact of our work.
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