There’s a whole lot of lovin’ going on in the south where Invercargill boasts one of the largest and most popular Therapy Pet programmes, with family pooches, large and small, administering canine cuddles to young and old in rest homes and schools.

Daisy shares the love with the kids at Sacred Heart Primary School. Photo: Supplied

The programme, coordinated by St John Ambulance staff, now has 33 dogs and 28 owners in hot demand throughout Invercargill, with very visible benefits and results for everyone from lonely and withdrawn elderly to kids struggling with learning difficulties.

A local men’s Cancer Society support group is the latest to benefit and St John’s Community Engagement Co-Ordinator for Southland Tracy Kilkelly says if volunteers miss a week there’s quite a furor.

Elderly residents at the likes of Vickery Court wait in great anticipation for their twice-weekly doggy visits, some known to sit by the front door awaiting their favourite pooch’s arrival.

This story is brought to you with the kind support of Avenal Park Funeral Home

The dogs, all specially vetted and checked by a dog trainer, are swarmed by delighted children when they turn up at 14 Invercargill schools.

The programme’s recently been expanded to include Southland Girls High where the dogs are working with the school counsellor and producing incredible results.

Winton School is also now benefiting from the programme.

Kay and her dog, Alfie, bring joy to the children at Windsor North School. Photo: Supplied

“There have been so many beautiful stories,” Kilkelly says.

“An elderly dementia unit patient was walking to the door to farewell a volunteer with his beautifully placid rescue dog when the elderly man tripped on a mat and fell to the floor.”

Staff were rushing to help while the dog nestled under the man’s arm and snuggled tightly beside his chest, lying down beside him.

“That dog had been tethered and severely beaten prior to rescue. The owner said his heart was so full that day.”

Volunteer Jan Feaver shares a beautiful story of an elderly lady, 92, who wouldn’t come out of her flat and within two weeks was waiting at her front gate for Yabba, one of three beautiful chocolate Border Collies.

“She cried the first time she met him, and he hopped up on her lap, leaning his weight on the chair rather than on her,” Feaver says.

Border Collies Wilma Yabba and Rubble with Neil at the Cancer Society. Photo: Supplied

“She’s now in a rest home and we still go to see her every week.”

Yabba was the first therapy dog to visit a person in their home.

“It’s very rewarding."

"We go to Calvary Hospital and the dogs hop up onto the beds for a cuddle,” Feaver says.

“The residents open up and tell you all their happy memories about their own pets and dogs, and the dogs just love going, lining up for their pats.”

“If we don’t go, we get told off,” she laughs.

Dementia patients don’t often remember the owner, but they remember the dog’s name, Kilkelly says.

Now retired from his rest home duties Merlin still works his magic at Invercargill's Avenal Park Funeral Home. Photo: Nigel Edwards

He’s now retired from Ascot Bupa rest home duties, but 13-year-old Samoyed, Merlin is still healing the broken hearted, welcoming bereaved loved ones with his loving warmth at Avenal Park Funeral Home.

Owners Christine and Nigel Edwards adopted Merlin from the SPCA nine years ago.

He’s very gentle and comforting and people come in especially to see him, says Nigel

"We have had requests from familes for Merlin to attend services and he has accompanied in the hearse with the deceased."

This story is brought to you with the kind support of Avenal Park Funeral Home

"After a service children and adults come to see him and spend time with him."

While there are more than 550 elderly Invercargill rest home residents receiving the Therapy Pets love, more than 50 schoolchildren are too.

Research has shown that reading to pets can greatly assist with learning difficulties.

“A dog doesn’t judge so kids who are struggling can lie on, or beside, the dog while they’re reading to it in the school library. It’s a safe environment,” Kilkelly says.

Staff even pitched in at Donovan Primary School buying a big dog bed for ‘Shelby’ the Golden Retriever to snuggle in while she’s read to in the school library.

Shelby, all dressed up for Halloween, enjoys a story at Donovan Primary School. Photo: Supplied

Another dog arrives at a school on a bike in a cane basket, all dressed up for the occasion.

One school has been successfully using the programme to help kids with social anxieties, while it’s also greatly benefited kids handling grief and bereavement, illness or divorce.

“They just have that quiet time out to hang out with a dog. It’s so therapeutic,” Kilkelly says.

One young boy, who constantly sat under his desk, had ventured out to see the dog within a term, and by the following term was sitting reading with the dog.

This story is brought to you with the kind support of Avenal Park Funeral Park

“He really came out of his shell.”

Yak - an acronym for ‘You Are Kidding’, named by owner Anna Robertson’s husband when she arrived with two not one rescue dog, and also Minnie, share the chihuahua love at Vickery Court.

“Residents love them because they can sit on their laps and stroke them,” Robertson says.

“One lady was quite confused and was convinced her room wasn’t hers until we walked in.

"She said, ‘Thank goodness! Now I know it’s my room as the dogs come in to visit.”

Yabba gets up close and personal with her favourite Vickery Court resident Jean Bulmer, who turns 95 soon. Photo: Supplied

The whole thing hasn’t been good for Yak’s diet though.

“They get a wee doggy treat every time they sit nicely on people’s laps,” Robertson says.

Photographs of Yak and Minnie adorn some residents’ walls.

“I just love the interaction. It’s like a big family. Everybody makes you feel so welcome.”

Laminated paw prints are stuck to the door to show the dogs are welcome and Kilkelly says there are few rooms where they’re not.

St John staff say the Therapy Pets programme has experienced considerable growth nationally, increasing from 120 volunteer dogs in 2020 through to 550 this year. It’s so popular that no additional volunteers are required at this stage.

However, Kilkelly says with a few dogs passing away in Invercargill they will recruit for some replacements early next year.