Blackpool Vic dog’s new blog is dandy for showing ‘pawsitive’ effects of therapy animals

Dandy the eight-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier/bull mastiff cross breed might scare some with his tough looks - but he’s really a ‘big softy’ who loves cuddles from patients and staff alike at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

He’s a fully qualified therapy dog from national charity Pets As Therapy, which provides visits from assessed animals to a visiting service in hospitals, hospices, care homes and special needs schools all over the country.

Now ‘Dandy’, who has been a qualified therapy dog for three years, has started a blog of his own on the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals website to teach more people about the benefits of therapy animals.

‘He’ said: “I can come onto the wards at the hospital and say hi to the lovely patients. They can stroke me, sit with me and my job is to comfort them and make them feel happy – which is paw-some.

“(Tuesdays) are my favourite day of the week because I get to go to the Intensive Care Unit to see the patients and my favourite staff who always give me treats!”

Dr Jason Cupitt, critical care consultant at Blackpool Vic, said: “Animal-assisted therapy is a therapeutic intervention that uses animals - especially dogs and horses - as part of the patient’s treatment plan.

“It is used to enhance and complement the benefits of traditional therapy. It improves overall emotional wellbeing which can positively influence their physical condition.”

People can keep up with Dandy’s blog online at www.bfwh.nhs.uk.