Taking the lead in dog therapy

But dogs – and other pets – can also boost health and wellbeing in other ways. Just the companionship and the pleasure of having an animal to play with, or confide in, can help produce positive effects, such as lower blood pressure and improved respiration, according to experts.

A three-year study conducted by Australia's Baker Medical Research Institute confirmed that pet owners have lower blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels than people without pets.

But it's not always necessary to own your own animal to make a health gain. The charity Pets As Therapy organises therapeutic visits, taking calm, friendly dogs and cats to hospitals, hospices and care homes.

Fifty-one pets take part in the scheme in the Edinburgh and Lothian area, and surveys carried out by the charity show that spending just ten minutes with a visiting dog helped reduce levels of anxiety, depression and confusion.

One dog owner who knows exactly how much benefit people get out of pets is Sarah Douglas. The 25-year-old veterinary nurse found her own dog, Ben, a border cross Shetland collie, an enormous help when she was suffering from mental health problems seven years ago.

"He was just constantly there for me," she says. "You can tell a dog anything and they won't judge you. It was good for me because I had to do things for him, so it got me out and about. But it also meant he was the focal point rather than me, which helped to take the pressure off me."

Once Sarah was back on her feet, she decided Ben, a rescue dog with just three legs, would be ideal to help others and so she contacted Pets As Therapy.

Once trained, the pair began visiting the Tower care home in Murrayfield, where she found residents adored him. For the last four years, her two other dogs, Jake, a Cairn cross Skye terrier, and Dinky Brush, a working cocker spaniel, have also joined in the work.

Alongside the care home, Dinky also visits the Royal Edinburgh Hospital for patients with mental health problems and the Ability Centre in Livingston, an outreach centre for the disabled living in the community.

The dogs wear a uniform of bright yellow collars and leads, and fluorescent jackets, while their owners also sport yellow T-shirts.

"People stroke them, they give them little titbits, they take them for walks around the garden and they talk to them. It's especially good for people who had animals but have had to give them up to go into the home," says Sarah.

It also means, she says, that for a short time they can be carers rather than cared for – and gives them some news to chat about when relatives visit.

Sarah says the effects can be dramatic. "We had one old lady, she was 98. She was all there upstairs but she was refusing to get dressed or go out – she just thought there was no reason for it," says Sarah. "We started to visit and suddenly every Wednesday she was up dressed and had eaten her breakfast because she knew Ben was coming and she wanted to be ready.

"There was another lady with very bad dementia. She couldn't remember some of her own family, which was very upsetting for them. Then, one day, she asked the staff: 'Where is the dog with the yellow jacket with three legs?' They couldn't believe she remembered him – it's amazing what they can do."

Pets As Therapy is looking for more owners willing to volunteer as there is a waiting list in the Edinburgh area for places wanting visits from pets. For more information, visit www.petsastherapy.org or call 01844 345 445.