A Pembrokeshire organisation that provides pet therapy and a pet food bank, among many other things, is benefitting from nearly quarter of a million pounds of National Lottery funding.
Cariad Pet Therapy has received £222,420 from the National Lottery Community Fund to support the development of its community projects.
The funding award will provide the Pembrokeshire based organisation develop its pet therapy service across Wales, support its pet food bank, champion its robot pet programme, and develop its supported employment scheme through the employment of with two full employees over three years.
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“We are grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund for their ongoing support with our projects,” Cariad Pet Therapy’s project manager Robert Thomas.
“This award will help us to support our 60 volunteers and to aid our development over the next three years.
“This is especially poignant a time when mental ill-health is a rising concern, and the cost of living is on the ascent; this is a real boost for our communities.”
With their head office based in Haverfordwest, Cariad Pet Therapy provides wellness visits with therapy dogs to healthcare, education, employers, and to people socially isolated in their own homes across south west Wales.
It also provides therapy dog wellness visits to Amazon in Swansea, Swindon, Dunfermline, and Bristol, as well as to the staff at the Welsh Ambulance Service Trust across Wales.
Established in 2018, Cariad Pet Therapy has won several awards for its support in the community. Since last year the pet food bank has donated more than 110,000 meals in Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire to pet owners experiencing the impact of the pandemic, and the recent cost of living rise.
It has also donated 60 robot pets to people with dementia across Wales which provide joy and companionship.
A Disability Confident Employer, it provides supported employment and volunteering opportunities for people out of work, or with work limiting health conditions, or disability.
“We are looking forward to our next phase as an organisation, and to continue to make a difference to the quality of life to those in need,” said Robert.
“We are also grateful to the players of the National Lottery who enable this funding to be awarded.”
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