1 to 1 Support Our September Update

As animal lovers, our dogs are so much more than just pets: they are our best friends, they are part of family and so many of us would be lost without them. Whilst our first 3 months of work through Hope in the Community has reassured us that the same is true for people in communities all across South Wales, it has also highlighted just how hard some people are struggling to make sure their dog has what they need.

Sometimes this is due to the rising cost of living or perhaps because of challenges  with mental or physical health condition. There can be lots of reasons why someone’s life and wellbeing might get knocked off track. We have heard of people faced with impossible choices between feeding themselves or their dog, between paying for vet care or keeping their home safe and warm. Others feel they have nowhere to turn for advice and support when they are worried about a welfare or behavioural issue with their beloved pet and struggle on doing the best they can, even if it comes at a cost to their own health and wellbeing.

This is where our 1 to 1 Support comes in. We work on referrals from partners already working to support people in our communities – from food banks and pantries, to community prescribers, to wellbeing hubs, Police Community Support Officers and vets. We believe it’s essential that we work together with partners from across these sectors to make sure that both animal and human get the support they need in an individual, joined up and holistic way: what is called a One Welfare Approach.  Since we launched the project in May, we have received 19 referrals and have been able to offer support to 21 dogs so far.

When we receive a referral, our first job is to have a friendly chat with the client, introduce ourselves and find out a bit more about the issue they are having with their dog. If the issue is relatively straightforward, we might offer them some tailored advice, provide specialist equipment, signpost to specific resources, link them up with other services (such as a pet food bank) or, if necessary, arrange for them to see a vet, through our partners at Mobivet.

Some clients, however, need a bit more in-depth or intensive support. In these cases, our qualified Community Support Officer will usually follow up with a home visit. This lets us meet the dog, do a top-to-tail welfare check, behavioural assessment and have a proper chat with the owner about why they worried. We focus a lot on getting clients to tell us what they love about their dog and what they mean to them, as well as sharing the problems they are experiencing and how this might be negatively impacting their dog’s welfare and their own wellbeing. In this way, we work with the owners to create an action plan for how we can support them in getting their relationship with their furry friend back on track. With the client’s consent, we also work closely with other services that might be supporting them, so we can all work to give the client and their dog the best chance of success.

As one client said about our support for her and her dog:

“Your help really means a lot, I never thought I’d be able to manage it but looks like we may be able to smash it going forward and he’s learning all the time”

For some people, our support is about guiding them to better understanding their dog’s behaviour and giving them the skills and confidence to manage it in a safe, positive and mutually beneficial way For others, it involves supporting them to keep their dog healthy and to get them into a vet – clients like Amy in the story below (To respect her privacy, all names have been changed)

Amy is the loving owner of two, beautiful spaniel girls Honey and Poppy – both 12 years old. Over the last few years, Amy has been dealing with a lot including issues with her physical health, bereavement and having to move to a new area. Due to her health issues, she isn’t able to work, but instead gives us her time to volunteer for a local charity hub.

When we met Amy, she explained how her dogs were her world and how without them, she wasn’t sure how she would have made it through some of the challenges she had faced. It was obvious to us how devoted and conscientious she was, but she was also extremely worried that Honey and Poppy hadn’t been able to see a vet in a long time, especially as they were getting older, and Poppy had a worrying lump on her eye.

With support from our Community Support Officer, Amy has been able to get a full senior health check for both her girls, who are now back on track with their vaccinations, microchipping and flea and worming – to help her make sure her two best friends stay healthy and happy in their old age. We are also supporting her to access financial support to get her dogs spayed and to remove the lump from Poppy’s eye. With expert behavioural advice from our Community Support Officer, Amy is also working on BEHAVIOURS to help ensure they can be more easily looked after in case she needs to go into hospital in the future. Amy says:

“I want to thank Hope Rescue for all you did for my girls and myself. I couldn’t have done it without you. What wonderful people you are”

We are immensely proud to work with amazing, committed dog guardians like Amy, who are really living Hope’s values of “kindness, care and respect for every dog in our community” despite facing tough challenges of their own.

If your organisation is working to support members of your community and think Hope in the Community can offer them support around their dogs, please get in touch at [email protected]