Young patients treated to pet therapy at Northwick Park Hospital

Children got to met four-year-old Poppy a Yorkshire Terrier

Young patients at Northwick Park Hospital met a four-year-old Yorkshire terrier as part of a national charity initiative.

Poppy visited the children in the outpatient department in the first ever Pets as Therapy project at the hospital.

Pets as Therapy provides therapeutic visits to a variety of venues by volunteers with their own friendly, temperament-tested and vaccinated dogs and cats.

Isabella Kuniqi, seven, and her mother, Natasha, were the first people to meet Poppy.

Natasha said: “This is such a great thing for the hospital to do. Isabella was very excited about meeting Poppy and spent quite a while calmly petting her. Poppy seemed to love all the attention too.”

Colette Mannion, assistant director of nursing, organised the visit with Kissing it Better, a charity that helps make a difference to the care of patients and their carers in hospitals and care homes.

She hopes to arrange further visits from Poppy so elderly patients can enjoy some time with her.

Michelle Goodwin, Poppy’s owner, said: “Poppy has been a Pets as Therapy dog since she was nine months old and she absolutely loves meeting new friends.

“We both really enjoy visiting children in hospitals and older people in care homes to bring some happiness to their day.”