L to R Ski, Betty, Violet Slade and PAT Dog Nina at Sandringham.

FOR MANY years Pets As Therapy has run an annual competition to find the ‘PAT Dog of the Year’ then ‘PAT Cat of the Year’ was added to the awards. This year sees an amazing change to the competition. For the first time Iams, this year’s sponsors, and the Take A Break magazine, are supporting the awards.

Take A Break readers have been asked to nominate their favourite PAT Dog and Cat using their own judgement. Many people in the community are now aware of PAT Dogs/Cats, having come into contact with them in hospital, as a patient or perhaps PAT pets have been visiting a relative, or maybe as a carer/nurse in a residential home or hospital.

Now it’s up to these people to nominate an animal they think has shown exceptional qualities as a PAT dog/cat in the establishment environment. The winner of PAT dog of the Year will receive £500 and 6 months Iams dog food. 6 runners up win £100 and 3 months Iams dog food along with 6 Highly Commended certificates.

PAT Cat of the Year will receive £100 and 3 months supply of Iams cat food. Nominations should be sent, with a photograph if possible to PAT Pet of the Year, Take A Break, 24-28 Oval Road, London NW1 7DL. Nominations must be received by 21 August 2002.

Finalists will be seen in Take A Break issue no 42 on sale 17 October and the winners and runners up will be featured in issue 44 on sale 31 October. They will also be invited to a lunch hosted by Iams where the presentations will be made.

Information can also be found on our web site - www.petsastherapy.org

Pets As Therapy have organised a collection day at The Metro Centre in Gateshead on Saturday 17 August from 10am - 8pm. If you would be interested in helping, please contact me at the telephone number below.

Results are coming in from the PRO Dogs Stakes classes throughout the country. Winners as follows - Grimsby & Cleethorpes DTS - 1 Miss R M Young’s Ob Ch Xandras Spell Maker OW WS.

Kingston Canine Society - 1 Mrs Clare Coxall’s The Hustler at Tiopepi, Standard Poodle.
Poole & District DTS where the class was split - Part 1 - 1 Mrs C M prentice’s Tri Clan’s Magical Addition OW WS. Part 2 - 1 Miss S R Delany’s Vanistica Gulliver Travels OW BSD.

I recently received a telephone call from Violet Slade who owns PAT dog Nina, a Russian Black Terrier. Violet was invited along with the Anglian Corgi League to meet HRH Queen Elizabeth II at Sandringham recently. Violet was accompanied by her friend Gill, her mother Betty who is 82 and in a wheelchair, plus Corgi Ski. After a good lunch they all walked to the Private Walled Gardens of Sandringham. The Queen had been on another engagement and was flown by helicopter back to Sandringham. Her majesty arrived at 4pm in a green Range Rover and for the ladies out there was wearing a light green dress and coat with a wonderful large beige hat. The Queen walked along the shingle path and stopped at Betty.

The Queen exclaimed “Hello - we have an interloper”, then asked “What is she?” Violet replied that she was a rare Russian dog called a Russian Black Terrier. The Queen seemed interested and asked Violet further questions. Violet informed the Queen that Nina was a PAT dog and works with elderly people and children and also visits hospitals, disabled clubs and churches. The Queen was most interested and thanked Violet for taking Nina along. Violet says it was lovely to have the first Russian Black Terrier PAT Dog to be patted by HRH Queen Elizabeth II and she has wonderful memories of the day.

If you would like to register your dog as a PAT dog please send a sae to Pets As Therapy, 17 Ambrook Road, Reading, Berks RG2 8SL. To contact PRO Dogs write to Rocky Bank, 6 New Road, Ditton, Kent ME20 6AD. If you have any news, views or comments please contact me at Pets As Therapy Northern Office, PO Box 11, Stanley, Co Durham DH9 7YZ or telephone 01207 236040.

Maureen Hennis