Outreach Therapy Pets is strong in Waihi with our group winning the team trophy for attendance over the last year. Beyonce has been involved for the last four and half years and Rihanna for three years. We take them on the first three Fridays of the month to a Hospital, and two Rest Homes in the area plus the Special Needs Class at the College about every three months. They are the only hounds doing this in the area and are so suitable for the job being a good height for chairs and beds and of course with their laid back attitude just take it all so quietly and the residents just love them.
OTP has now been taken over by the SPCA in Auckland after having been started and run by St. Johns in Auckland in conjunction with the SPCA. Outreach Therapy Pets are reaching out to utilise the skills of trained volunteers, coupled with the therapeutic values of animals to provide comfort to the elderly, medically ill and those in rehabilitation, through regular visits by people with their pets to establishments who care for them.
Jan Curran, AC Hauraki/Coromandel