TUESDAY, 09 FEBRUARY, 2021

Photograph attached: Image 1 – Dylan, with his handler and owner, Finlay McDonald. Image 2 – Dylan.

A happy tail - Dylan retires from paw-ffice

Therapet Dylan the labradoodle has retired from service after eight years working alongside the Dundee Mental Health Physiotherapy Team. (That’s 51 in dog years.)

Dylan first joined NHS Tayside in 2013 alongside his handler and owner Finlay McDonald who is a Physiotherapy Assistant. At the time Finlay was working at the Sunnyside Acute Mental Health Unit and would take Dylan in to meet the patients. The newest member of the team became a huge success with other departments requesting his services including referrals from Speech and Language, Psychology, Older age Psychiatry and Social Work.

Dylan then moved offices and became a regular attendee at break time on the wards at the Carseview Centre in Dundee. He eventually settled at the Dundonald Centre where he would sit with patients who were feeling particularly low or upset. Dylan would provide a non-judgemental ear for those needing an extra bit of comfort and support.

Dylan’s handler, Finlay said, “The importance of physical activity and exercise is well known and documented however the addition of Dylan seemed to motivate patients in a way that I could not achieve. Patients were keen to walk outdoors if Dylan could come. They enjoyed having him with them, taking him on the lead and giving him treats.

“The conversation would change from focusing on negative factors and patients would discuss positive things around the dog, sparking up good memories of patients who themselves had or had owned dogs in the past.

“Sometimes consultants would ask for Dylan to be in the room when they had conversations with patients as they became calmer, making conversations a lot easier.

Gill McDonald, Physiotherapy Team Lead for Learning Disability and Mental Health at NHS Tayside, said, “He is such a good mannered and good natured dog, we were delighted to have him help us out within Mental Health services. He is not jumpy or demanding and I think this is why he worked so well with our patients.

“Dylan has been a huge hit with patients which is down to his built in radar to move towards patients who needed extra support. To watch dog and human sit in perfect peace was a lovely thing to see.

“Staff morale also improved when Dylan was around. Patients, staff, carers and the public have all enjoyed his time in service and he will be missed. We wish him a long and happy retirement.”

Dylan, now 14 years old, is looking forward to enjoying retirement spent, sleeping, eating and going for strolls along the beach at his home in Arbroath.

Contact:

Cara Longmuir

NHS Tayside Communications

(01382) 740716