Either you or someone you know has or will experience struggles with mental health.

Feeling low, anxious, depressed. These emotions are all too common.
Especially at a time when our minds are being more and more challenged: be it by financial strain, workplace pressures, relationship drama, family demands, overuse of screens, and all along with the daily burden of distressing news, environmental disasters and political developments across the world…

Is it any wonder life can sometimes feel a bit too much?

It’s no surprise then that we therefore seek comfort wherever we can.
For some people that’s curling up on the sofa with a book or the latest TV series.
For others it’s getting out into nature, perhaps going for a walk.

And for people who care for dogs and cats, their companions are often with them on said sofa or walk. Quietly bringing an additional layer of much-needed comfort.

So, this Mental Health Awareness Week, Mayhew is celebrating the dogs and cats in our lives for the unwavering and generous support they give to us daily. And Mayhew has a special story to share to mark the moment. Sharing the story is Mayhew’s Communications & Campaigns Manager, Phoebe:

Enter Giovanna: after making a successful adoption application, Giovanna – a counsellor and psychotherapist specialising in anxiety and depression – came into Mayhew to meet Mimosa and says,

How powerful that Mimosa, after her rocky start, is now bringing comfort to those seeking support with their mental health.

And it’s this human animal bond that the team at Mayhew value greatly and forms part of everything they do. It is something they try their best to protect through services such as Pet Refuge: a lifeline for people facing a short-term crisis and therefore needing temporary shelter for their dog or cat. Through Pet Refuge, these people do not have to make the agonising decision to part with their animal in the long-term.

Read more: Pet Refuge

Another way that Mayhew promotes the human-animal bond is through their TheraPaws programme. Their TheraPaws volunteers will make regular visits – with their behaviourally assess dogs – to hospitals, mental health centres, SEN schools, care homes and hospices. The service helps improve the quality of life of those interacting with the animal through:

• Social interaction and companionship
• Decreased feelings of isolation
• Improvement in emotional and physical well-being through street reduction and affection
• Unlocking memories and emotions for those suffering from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
• Building confidence and self-esteem in young people
• Improved communication between people, volunteers, staff and families

Read more: TheraPaws