Hospital patients have day brightened by therapy dog

Wellbeing Animals Guernsey - known as WAG for short - has a network of caring individuals who use their pooches or other pets to help people of all ages in a variety of situations. Credit: ITV Channel TV.

A local charity in Guernsey is bringing joy and comfort to people across the community through canine cuddles.Wellbeing Animals Guernsey - known as WAG for short - has a network of caring individuals who use their pooches or other pets to help people of all ages in a variety of situations.Ashley Smith and Poppet, his French bulldog, are familiar faces on Brock Ward, at the Princes Elizabeth Hospital. The pair have been visiting patients there for the past three and a half years.

They are now such popular members of the team that in 2019 staff nominated the pair for 'Carer of the Year' at the Guernsey Press Pride of Guernsey Awards which they won.WAG was set up four years ago and now has 30 volunteers with their therapy dogs who regularly visit most of the wards at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital, many care and residential homes, day centres and places like the Cheshire Home.

Animals are well known to have a therapeutic benefit to humans and just stroking a dog can bring comfort and smiles to people in stressful situations. Poppet and other dogs working with WAG also regularly visit local schools where dogs can help reluctant readers to gain confidence.