CHB pet therapy pair awarded

Canine Friends Pet Therapy pair Jo Chubb and Sophie

A chance meeting while out for lunch has resulted in a regional award for Waipawa woman Jo Chubb and her canine companion, Sophie.

Jo and her mother Jenny were out at lunch at the Paper Mulberry, dogs Sophie and Border terrier Grace in attendance, when they were approached by a "lady wearing a badge," Jo says.

The woman was Canine Friends Pet Therapy liaison officer Chris Partridge. She had been watching Sophie and she wanted to know if Jo had ever thought of taking the dog to visit the elderly in resthomes.

"I had thought of it," Jo says, "So I jumped at the chance."

Jo suffers from ME and while she can't cope with fulltime work she likes to give back to the community. It was while doing charity work for the CHB SPCA that she met Sophie.

"I was clearing the coin donation boxes for the SPCA and went to the shelter to deliver the takings when I saw this small brown dog.

"I asked 'who is this?' She had such a sweet face.

"They told me the dog was called Sophie and she was a cruelty case. Inspectors Renee Hickey and the late David Styles had found her tied to a chair in the rain with no shelter and covered in mange.

"I took pictures and went home and showed Mum. She said 'I want to meet Sophie'.

Jo adopted Sophie and took her home, where on brushing her they discovered she wasn't a brown dog... the old dry coat came out and revealed a very shiny black dog.

Sophie had - and still has - issues from her ill-treatment, so being named Canine Friends Pet Therapy Regional Member of the Year 2020 for the Hastings region is special to Jo.

Canine Friends Pet Therapy is a charitable organisation that facilitates animal visits to resthomes, hospitals and hospices throughout New Zealand. It was formed 30 years ago by Eileen Curry, a Wellington woman who was distressed to see an elderly woman parted from her dog when she went into a resthome.

Eileen began by taking one of her own dogs to visit the woman, and the organisation built from there.

Jo joined the organisation just over a year ago, and after initial training she and Sophie put on their Canine Friends badge and bandanna and began visiting the residents at Mount Herbert House in Waipukurau once a fortnight.

"We get a great welcome when we arrive. The residents love to interact with Sophie, it brings smiles to their faces. Sophie enjoys it too, wagging her tail and leaning in for pats."

Lyn Parsons is the diversional therapist at Mount Herbert House and oversees the pet therapy visits.

"We have two lots of Canine Friends come in, week about, and it brings joy to the residents and smiles to their faces. Animals are great therapy. Jo is wonderful too - she's a special lady who had a great rapport with the residents. She and Sophie are a great team. The residents - and the staff - can't wait to see them."

Chris Partridge is delighted she made the move to approach Jo that day at lunch.

"I have nothing but praise for Jo. She's amazing. If I put out a call, she puts her hand up. She will always go that extra mile.

"Canine Friends is a really worthwhile thing to do and it puts smiles on so many faces. Some elderly in resthomes don't have any other visitors, so a visit from a dog - big or small, is a treat. We mainly visit resthomes, hospitals and hospices but we have a new inititive that visits HB Regional Prison and that's doing very well.

"Any dog can be eligible except pitbulls and banned breeds, they just have to have a calm temperament.

"I could see Sophie would make a fabulous Canine Friend and I'm so glad I 'stalked them' and gave Jo my card. CHB has benefited."

To learn more or to donate to Canine Friends Pet Therapy go to caninefriends.org.nz