A paw of friendship

"Hello, my name is Benny and I'm a Therapy Dog! I'm often known as 'Lord Benny' because of my rather aristocratic appearance.

"4 years ago, a lovely lady called Maureen decided to get a dog. She knew she didn’t have long to live and she didn’t want her husband, John, to be left on his own. I was just a puppy when I first met her but there was an instant connection between us. She knew I was the one. What a clever woman she was!

"The first time I came to the hospice was to visit Maureen in her last few days. Everyone was so kind to us. We discovered that the hospice is a very special place.

"When Maureen died, my dad, John, decided that we weren’t going to sit indoors and be sad. He wanted us to do something that would keep us busy and make us feel needed.

"I think Maureen always knew that John and I would become a double-act, and it wasn’t long before we went off for therapy dog training. I had to take lots of exams, but I passed them all without any difficulty.

"Now, we visit the hospice nearly every day, and I offer a paw of friendship to anyone who greets us or who looks like they need cheering up.

"Somehow, I know when someone is feeling sad or anxious. Apparently, when you pet a dog like me, it helps to lower your stress levels and brings you a sense of wellbeing.

"People love making a fuss of me and that makes me happy too. I don’t mind how many cuddles and strokes I get - I never lose my patience.

"I will always remember a gentleman we visited in the Inpatient Unit who once had a therapy dog himself. John put me onto the gentleman’s bed and although he was very still and unable to speak, he lifted his hand and started to stroke me. That’s what being a therapy dog is all about. I felt so proud.

"We have lots of friends at the hospice and we’re always making new ones.

"So, if you are visiting the hospice anytime, please look out for me. I’d love to say ‘hello’ to you and have a few more strokes."