Fifteen year old PAT Dog Aggie, Pets As Therapy’s longest serving canine visitor, pictured above with her daughter Ria, also a PAT Dog, and their proud owner Kay Harris of Cornwall

There were smiles all round at a Bodmin residential home when PAT dog Aggie, a Golden Retriever, was presented with a Silver Salver to mark her remarkable service to the sick and elderly.

Fifteen year old Aggie is owned by Kay Harris from Cornwall and together with Kay's other PAT dog Ria, Aggie's daughter, visits Athelstan House in Bodmin where for the last eight years, visits have taken place once a week, bringing comfort and companionship to the residents.

Prior to visiting Athelstan House Aggie visited at St. Lawrence's, Bodmin's former mental health hospital, making Aggie officially Pets As Therapy's longest serving active PAT dog.

Aggie was presented with a beautiful silver salver, which was donated to Pets As Therapy by Miss Joan Young from Darlington in memory of her own PAT dogs. The presentation was made by BBC Spotlight presenter Teresa Driscoll. Christine Day the manager at Athelstan House said, "It stimulates our clients and for many of them brings back memories of when they had pets."

Pets As Therapy have a waiting list of establishments wanting PAT dogs to visit. If you would like to register your dog as a PAT dog please call Pets As Therapy on 01207-236040.