Bella & Duke partner with charity Therapy Dogs Nationwide to help provide comfort, distraction, and stimulation to those who need it.
The firm will be donating on an on-going basis as well as continually fundraising on behalf of the charity. Alongside this they will also be sponsoring four therapy dogs with full Bella & Duke subscriptions to keep them fuelled up and doing the best job they can, Bella & Duke are also paying 50% of all other subscriptions for any Therapy Dogs Nationwide volunteer wishing to use the subscription service.
Therapy Dogs Nationwide volunteers visit schools, special needs schools, hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, care centres and prisons with their own dogs to provide comfort, distraction, and stimulation as well as Animal Assisted Therapies.
The dogs help children with their confidence when learning to read, placing assessed dogs with their volunteer handlers into Primary, Junior, High and SEN schools under the charity’s ‘Paws & Read Scheme’ which is recognised by The Kennel Club. The charity also provides dogs to create a calming environment for autistic children and adults and bring joy to those in hospital and hospices. All of the therapy dogs that are part of Therapy Dogs Nationwide are temperament tested and some have been volunteering with the charity for over 10 years.
The benefits of Animal Assisted Therapies (AAT) are endless, and Bella & Duke hope to help support the charity in the work they do. AAT can lead to an improvement in general health and wellbeing, increased confidence levels and improved motor and communication skills.
Jackson a Leonberger from the Midlands, Daisy from Essex, Jem the Lurcher from Cheshire, and Bran the Bernese Mountain Dog from Lincolnshire are all dogs that work hard for Therapy Dogs Nationwide and bring joy to others every day with a wagging tail.
Leonbergers are known for their calm temperament especially with children, so Jackson’s owner Mick decided to register him as a therapy dog after his daughter recommended it having seen the difference therapy dogs can make. Jackson started off with visiting a local care home, where because of his size, he is easy to stroke for people who are bedridden or have a lack of mobility. Jackson most regularly visits a secure facility for teenagers with behavioural issues. These are visits greatly appreciated by the residents and the staff and make a huge difference to the residents.
Daisy and her owner Christine are regular visitors to The Royal Chelsea Hospital in London and has also supported children in schools and libraries for the Paws and Read programme and those in assisted living and Alzheimer groups. Daisy’s gentle and affectionate nature has also meant she’s able to support the NHS in helping people who have a phobia of dogs.
Jem the Lurcher was rescued by Jaki when he was 6 months, as a result of having to scavenge for food so young, a raw diet is particularly important to keeping him and his tummy happy and healthy. Jem has helped with the Paws and Read programme and regularly visits 2 care home and a hospice, where he enjoys lots of cuddles, he also helps children and adults overcome their phobia of dogs.
Bran the Bernese Mountain dog became a therapy dog at 16 months when his owner Debi recognised his very loving nature and calm temperament. He regularly visits a residential care home, a Hospice, and a high security prison, in all 3 he supports both the staff and residents all of which love him.
The donations provided by Bella & Duke will help Therapy Dogs Nationwide get more volunteers supporting local communities providing comfort, distraction, and stimulation.
Mark Scott, co-founder of Bella and Duke, said: “We are so pleased to be partnering with Therapy Dogs Nationwide, the work they do makes such a difference to those they are helping, and we hope our donation, as well as sponsoring Jackson, Daisy, Jem, and Bran will help them continue to do what they do best. At Bella & Duke we believe passionately in the positive impact dogs make to people’s lives and the lives of our communities. We know that everyone’s journey is better when you’ve got a friend by your side, and so very much admire the work of Therapy Dogs Nationwide.”
Leisl de Lafontaine, a Trustee at Therapy Dogs Nationwide, said: “Here at Therapy Dogs Nationwide we believe in giving our volunteers the choice on how they best look after their dogs. Whether that be how they wish to feed them, where they exercise them or how they maintain a heathy lifestyle. We are thrilled to be partnering with Bella & Duke to help our volunteers make an educated and informed choice about their pets.
The fundraising opportunities that are provided through Bella & Duke mean that we can help more volunteers be present in their local communities, supporting neighbours, patients, clients, and pupils. All of our volunteers will benefit from this new partnership, and we are looking forward to future plans and collaborations.”
To find out more information on the partnership, or to make a donation to Therapy Dogs Nationwide, visit: https://www.bellaandduke.com/therapy-dogs-nationwide/
