During Mental Health Awareness Week (14th to 20th of May), employees at the workspace, Huckletree West, near Shepherd’s Bush in London, had the pleasure of welcoming TheraPaws dogs to their offices to help spread happiness and wellbeing.

Mayhew provides a visiting animal therapy programme called TheraPaws, which recognises the mutual benefits of animals engaging with people, particularly older people with dementia, helping to improve the relationships between humans and dogs.

TheraPaws dog Tyi enjoying the attention

As well as enhancing people’s lives by helping to reduce social isolation, stress, and anxiety, the initiative also helps animals by raising awareness of the positive effects dogs can have, including promoting respect and compassion towards animals.

TheraPaws volunteers’ Sheena with her dog Tyi, Ilonka and her dog BenJecky and Bill with his dog Tess spent the afternoon meeting and engaging with employees from Huckletree West, offering them a break from their busy work schedules.

When the TheraPaws dogs first arrived they were quickly awarded with huge smiles and lots of attention from their many admirers.

TheraPaws dog BenJecky receiving plenty of cuddles

Huckletree West Event Manager, Kieran O’Shea, said: “Mayhew’s TheraPaws programme is a great initiative and we were delighted the volunteers and their dogs were able to visit Huckletree West during Mental Health Awareness Week.

“It was great to see the dogs spreading so much joy and happiness to different companies and their teams.”

At present, just over 50 teams of TheraPaws volunteers and their dogs spread happiness when they go on regular visits to care homes, day centres, hospices and hospitals across London boroughs including Kensington and Chelsea, Brent and Westminster. With this initiative, we are determined to make a difference and improve the lives of the many people we visit.

TheraPaws dog Tess with a Huckletree West employee

Our TheraPaws Project Coordinator, Niamh Carwood, said: “I’m delighted that our TheraPaws volunteers and their dogs received such warm welcomes from everyone at Huckletree West.

“It was a terrific day. It’s clear to see that they bring a lot of joy and wellbeing to people.”

After all that attention and requests for cuddles and selfies, our TheraPaws volunteers and their canine friends were ready for a well-deserved rest.

To find out more about TheraPaws or to make a donation, please visit here or call 020 8962 8000. We rely entirely on generous donations from the public and we don’t receive any government funding.