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Small dogs who make a big impact

A laughing woman sitting on a bench in front of a blue wall with two little white dogs on her lap

Volunteer Claire Taylor explains how her therapy dogs are making a difference for young patients receiving mental health care

Minty, Bobby and Mitzy are small dogs with a huge sense of fun who love meeting young patients in hospital.

Retired accountant Claire Taylor has been taking her Coton de Tuleár dogs to the St Aubyn Centre in Colchester for several years. The centre provides inpatient care for teenagers experiencing mental health difficulties and is run by Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT).

Claire started visiting with Maddy, who has sadly died, and now Minty, Mitzy and Bobby.

She said: “It’s great fun, and the dogs love it. The dogs have got a special quality, it’s just lovely.”

If a child is upset, the dogs will go over to them to cheer them up. They bring comfort to those who are missing their pets at home and are a good conversation starter.

Claire, who is treasurer of the Coton de Tuleár Club of the United Kingdom, said: “They love coming here, they get lots of attention and lots of treats.

“We also get to meet such lovely kids – they’re smashing.

“When the youngsters are teaching the dogs to do tricks or making them do tricks they get a great sense of achievement. That can be really special.”

Minty, Bobby and Mitzy love meeting new people and if a young person is nervous about dogs, Claire will gently introduce them over a period of time until they are comfortable.

She said: “Therapy dogs need to be calm but fun. There’s nothing better than stroking a dog. It just brings your blood pressure down and it stops all the anxiety.”

They are just three of the therapy animals at the St Aubyn Centre. There is also a giant African land snail Herbert, who lives at the centre’s Therapeutic Education Department, and therapy dog Nellie, who belongs to headteacher Jim English.

The school also works closely with Dedham Therapy Farm, where young people can help to look after their animals, including alpacas, sheep, chickens and donkeys.

The school is rated Outstanding by Ofsted and the Care Quality Commission recently upgraded its rating for child and adolescent mental health wards at the St Aubyn Centre and the Poplar Unit in Rochford to good.

Two small white dogs called Bobby and Mitzy standing on a light grey mat looking up at the camera.
Bobby and Mitzy
A small white dog called Minty standing on a light grey mat wearing a green bow at the top of their head.
Minty

About EPUT:

  • EPUT provides services to more than 100,000 patients at any one time and our staff are focused on providing high quality care in often complex situations.
  • The organisation has invested in inpatient facilities and community services to make them safer and more therapeutic. We have extensively invested in technology to keep patients safer, enhanced training, and are continuously working with our staff, patients, their families and carers to use learning and best practice to enhance our quality of care.
  • While there is more to do, the Trust has made significant progress through innovation:
    • Our 111 mental health crisis phone line ensures people in need can access support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
    • People with lived experience have been employed in designated roles across the Trust, ensuring patient voice is heart of the organisation and all that we do.
    • A number of new initiatives have been launched, helping people access the support they need when they need it most. These include a mental health urgent care department, By Your Side maternal mental health service, Rough Sleeper team, mental health crisis ambulance cars, virtual wards and neuromodulation service.
  • EPUT was formed on 1 April 2017 and provides community health, mental health and learning disability services across Essex, Luton and Bedfordshire and Suffolk.  We employ more than 7,200 staff working across more than 200 sites.