We wholeheartedly support National Walk your Dog Month (pretty much all year round). It is SO good for us to get outside, get some fresh air, walk a few miles with a dog to clear the cobwebs away. We are very aware that exercise is important for our physical and mental wellbeing; and just seeing a dog enjoying a walk can really lift the spirits.
Our Special Friends supports people who find that this is no longer easy. Some of our clients have found that their circumstances have changed and they cannot get out with their dog any more. Our volunteers can help by walking their dog for them on a temporary basis or by putting a team of volunteers together to help longer term.
We encourage our clients to walk with our volunteers where possible so that they can still enjoy a short accompanied dog walk, seeing the outside world, wrapping up and experiencing the weather. For those people who have always had dogs in their lives, it can be very hard to exist without a canine companion any more. Some of our volunteers visit with their own visiting dogs, so that clients can still enjoy the regular companionship of a dog.
We check all our clients’ animals and our volunteers’ dogs before they embark on a dog walking regime to make sure that they are fit and healthy or whether their weight needs to be monitored.
We encourage anyone without a dog, to grab a friend who has one, don their wellies and get out there! It’s good for the soul.
