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Dementia Dog Project receives grant
The preliminary trials will benefit over 500 people living with dementia.

Community ‘Dog Day’ events to help dementia sufferers

The Dementia Dog Project, a collaborative project run by Dogs for Good and Alzheimer Scotland, has received a £314,002 grant from the Big Lottery Fund. The grant will allow the partnership to expand their work, from an individual assistance dog approach to support those living with dementia, in a community setting.

The therapy, offered by Dogs for Good and Alzheimer Scotland, is known as Animal Assisted Intervention (AAI) and is lesser known in the UK, in comparison with other parts of the world. The new funds will go towards a pilot scheme of ‘Dog Day’ community events, as well as goal-focused therapy intervention pilots across Scotland and specific areas of England.

The pilot scheme will involve specialist trainers and therapy dogs working together with support workers and health care professionals. Advanced training for the community dogs will take place at the open prison, HMP Castle Huntly, which also acts as the operational base for the Dementia Dog Project. Those in custody at the prison are encouraged to work with the dogs, which allows them to gain valuable professional skills whilst also helping to provide highly-trained dogs for dementia sufferers.

The preliminary trials will benefit over 500 people living with dementia, with assessment of the scheme focusing on mental wellbeing and financial benefits of both sufferers and their carers. Volunteers in the community will also get involved, attending training sessions with their pet dogs, in trial areas. This addition will allow the charity partnership to develop new training standards and test the effectiveness of large scale teaching mechanisms for the future.

Maureen McGinn, chair of the Big Lottery Fund Scotland, said: “There is evidence which shows that dementia assistance dogs can help people with dementia and their families live more fulfilling, independent lives. So we are delighted to be able to fund some of this work in Scotland and I look forward to hearing more about the development of this pilot over the coming months as it plans to expand into England too.”

Chief executive of Dogs for Good, Peter Gorbing, said: “This grant will allow the Dementia Dog Project team to test and pioneer new approaches to reduce social isolation and bring joy and meaning into the lives of people with dementia. Through our work training dementia assistance dogs, we have seen the positive contribution that dogs can make to people’s lives. This boost in funding for the Dementia Dog project will help us to reach even more people living with dementia in the community.”

Image © Clark James Digital

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.