• 01284 247077
  • office@ourspecialfriends.org
Our Special Friends - helping people and animals help each other

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    Home About Us How we work

How we work

Clients contact us directly or are referred to us by friends or family members or by other support or welfare organisations – human or animal.

After the initial contact we undertake an assessment, initially by telephone or email, and follow up with a visit if possible.

Through our relationships with affiliate organisations in human health and animal welfare, we try to ensure that all needs (both human and animal) are being met. We raise awareness of the benefits of the bond between humans and animals, and the impact that a bereavement can have – both on animals and humans. We also encourage advance planning for the care of animals to give owners peace of mind that their pets will be well looked after should anything happen to them.

Working in partnership

This process enables us to find out what is needed and we can then develop a support plan for the individual, working in partnership with other organisations or family members as appropriate:

  • Family, friends, neighbours
  • Social care: care providers, housing
  • Medical care: GP, hospice, district nurses
  • Advisors, e.g. solicitors
  • Mental health and dementia support
  • Befriending schemes, volunteer networks, youth programmes
  • Veterinary care, allied professionals
  • Pets as Therapy, Assistance Animals, Cinnamon Trust
  • Behaviourists, trainers, clubs
  • Rehoming centres, animal charities

The support offered by Our Special Friends includes:

  • Emotional and practical support, delivered using local trained and supported members of the community and affiliate organisations
  • Identifying relevant resources and services and signposting them to potential clients, their families and carers
  • Offering advice on respite care, fostering, rehoming and pre-bereavement planning to help clients make informed and appropriate decisions
  • Researching and identifying appropriate companion animals, monitoring them and providing follow up support
  • Dog walking, either directly via our volunteers or via other affiliate organisations
  • Visiting individuals at home with a volunteer and their dog (this is known as Animal-Assisted Activity).
  • Offering accompanied walks via our volunteers either with an existing pet or a visiting pet
  • Looking for ways to support essential pet costs, such as veterinary fees and help to access veterinary care
  • Encouraging the presence and maintenance of wild bird feeders with maximum visibility, easy viewing and regular stocking by volunteers or neighbours

If you think we could help you or someone you know, please contact us.

Contact Our Special Friends

If you have a general enquiry please fill out the contact form below.

If you would like to refer yourself or someone that you know, or you would like to join our lovely group of volunteers please select the appropriate form on the right.

Contact Form

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    Phone

    01284 247077

    Email

    office@ourspecialfriends.org

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    Our Special Friends
    Unit 4, The Vision Centre
    5 Eastern Way
    Bury St Edmunds
    IP32 7AB

    Our Special Friends is a Registered Charity: 1156778

    Our Special Friends is the trading name of Our Special Friends Ltd. (Company Reg. No: 08769892 England and Wales).

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