Celebrating Dogs for Good Grant
Dementia is a syndrome associated with the decline of brain functions. Dementia is not a single disease; it is an overall term. Disorders grouped under the general term ‘Dementia’, are caused by abnormal brain changes. These changes trigger a decline in thinking skills, known as cognitive abilities, severe enough to impair daily life and independent function. They also affect behaviour, feelings and relationships. Research shows there are more than 850,000 people in the UK who have dementia. The symptoms of dementia usually become worse over time as it is a progressive illness. In the late stage of dementia, people will not be able to take care of themselves and may require extra support and care.
Assistance dogs can be beneficial to those diagnosed with dementia for many reasons. An assistance dog can help to maintain a routine, retrieve medication for their owner, regulate sleeping patterns and anchor the person by sitting beside them. Assistance dogs can also be an emotional support for the person living with dementia and their carer, offering unconditional friendship, providing companionship and being a social connector.
For over thirty years, Dogs for Good has been using its knowledge and experience to bring people with disabilities and dogs together, enabling life-changing differences. Through the power of expertly trained dogs, the charity supports people with autism, physical disabilities, learning disabilities and dementia, empowering them to live more independent lives.
One of the services that Dogs for Good provides is the Dementia Dog Project, a collaboration with Alzheimer Scotland to develop new services for people living with dementia in Scotland. This includes training full-time assistance dogs to support a family living with dementia, Dog Day events, family dog support and dementia Community dogs. These services have been successfully piloted in Scotland and have been hugely successful in offering support to the community and families impacted by dementia.
We’ve awarded nearly £300,000 to support Dogs for Good and their project in Scotland. We want to recognise the great work Dogs for Good is doing, and this grant will help the charity to expand its services in Scotland over the next three years. This donation has come from generous Pets at Home customers and colleagues and will open more opportunities for the charity to continue its work in the community.
In Pets at Home stores and Vets4Pets practices in Scotland, we are hosting a big celebration weekend in honour of Dogs for Good and its life-transforming work on Saturday 28th May and Sunday 29th May 2022.
We support many charities and causes across the country with the help of so many Pets at Home customers and colleagues. Find out how you can get involved or read more about the other causes we support here.
If you would like to know more about the wonderful work Dogs for Good do and how their expertly trained dogs make life-changing differences for so many people, simply visit their website.
