Promoting the Canine Charter
Yesterday we launched our Canine Charter for Human Health which demonstrated that dogs are officially good for you. I’d certainly agree with this as I spent most of the day running across London to various news stations to talk about the story. Although I’m always a bit of an early bird having my first interview at 06.20am was quite a challenge, but I loved spending the day discussing just how fabulous dogs are!
The highlight of my morning was meeting Trish Dempsey and her wonderful little dog with the very unusual name of Mrs Blossom Willoughby. Trish and I appeared on BBC Breakfast to talk about how dogs can help people recover from depression. Trish shared her very emotional story of how she succumbed to depression after a series of tragic personal losses. Fortunately her life was turned around when she visited our Rehoming Centre in Kenilworth and fell in love with Mrs Blossom Willoughby. Having a dog which loved her unconditionally gave her a reason to live and enjoy life again. Her story is so inspiring and the best proof of the healing powers of dogs.
Canine Charter
I’m currently getting ready for the International Companion Animal Welfare Conference (ICAWC) which will take place next week in beautiful Stresa in Italy. International delegates will be able to listen to world class experts discuss the latest advances in rehoming, behaviour, veterinary practices, legislation and much more. What it so inspiring about this event, is that so many ICAWC delegates in the past have gone home to make huge moves forward for animal welfare in their respective countries.
I am always slightly nervous about speaking on stage in front of large audiences but I am gearing myself up to talk about how people can raise the status of dogs, especially with their local Mayors. This is an essential step in helping to show that dogs are not dispensable items that can be abandoned on the street. To demonstrate the positive benefits of dogs I will be discussing the launch of Dogs Trust’s Canine Charter for Human Health. This is a nine-point charter based on detailed academic research looking at the health benefits of dog ownership. From reducing stress and anxiety, boosting your immune system to helping safeguard you from depression – dogs really should be prescribed on the NHS!