Further to my ‘Keeping the Winter Blues at Bay’ blog earlier this month, which touched on how dogs play such a big part in our physical and mental well-being, I thought we better give our lovely Jenson some of the limelight!
The loveable Goldendoodle is one of the Digs for Dogs originals – he was a former customer and now his mum Jackie runs the Digs for Dogs Home Boarding in Bury. Jenson and his dad Richard are registered Pets as Therapy volunteers, bringing smiles and joy to many individuals in local residential homes, day care centres and youth groups.
Jenson loves his visits to local retirement homes and is a regular at East Lancashire Masonic Charity Home for the Elderly in Holcombe Brook, Bury. He even made an appearance in their December newsletter for doing such a great job at spreading Christmas cheer! But its not just at Christmas, Jenson and Richard lend a paw on a monthly basis for about an hour at a time. With his lovely nature, Jenson is adored by all the staff and residents and greets everyone like they are old friends, sitting with them in the common areas and getting lots of treats in return for his excellent company!
Pets As Therapy is the largest organisation of its kind in Europe and people of all ages benefit every week from the visits provided by PAT Volunteers, like Richard and Jenson, who share their time with people in need.
We’ve probably all told our pets our problems at some point, and know that animals offer such amazing, non-judgemental support. Therapy pets, assistance dogs, even regular pets and wildlife bring joy, comfort and companionship to many individuals who appreciate being able to touch and stroke a friendly animal. They are great for those struggling with their mental health, but of course don’t be afraid to talk to a friendly human too!
You can see how you can get involved with PAT by clicking HERE.
Jensen also keeps busy with the Greenmount Scouts Group. He is a regular visitor on Scout outings and definitely enjoys the local walks and rambling across hills just as much as the group do! All the Scouts love him joining the pack and take it in turns to hold his lead on their walks. Pets are a fantastic way to teach children responsibility, social skills, love and loyalty on top of increasing their physical activity and giving them an invaluable friend to treasure!
You don’t need to own a dog to benefit from all the love, friendship, exercise and lifestyle a dog brings. Becoming a Digs for Dogs Dog Sitter gives you all of this, without the full-time commitment of owning a dog for yourself. As a Home Boarder you are responsible for giving dogs the holiday they deserve – they’ll get to follow their normal daily routines, with their regular food, walks and favourite toys so it really is the perfect opportunity to gain an insight in to what dog ownership is really like.
As long as you’re on hand for lots of cuddles, you are already qualified!
To find out how you can lend a paw, Click Here.
As a close-knit community of dog lovers at Digs for Dogs, we love to get involved with our local communities, lending a helping hand and raising sponsorship & donations for charities. We are honoured to support local dog rescue centres including Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary, Manchester & Cheshire Dogs Home and Street Paws.
Giving back to the wider community is very im-paw-tant to us and when it comes to looking after each other, our franchisees are not just business partners, but family!
By Georgie Pomfret
