Young Therapet Volunteer Makes a Difference

Iona Wilkie from Dunkeld is one of the latest volunteers to join Canine Concern Scotland and with her dog Purdey and they visit the residents in Rivendell Care Home in Birnam.

At seventeen Iona is the youngest volunteer in Perthshire to provide Therapet visiting services to the elderly and is delighted that her dog Purdey, a Labrador, very quickly settled into his new role as a best friend to the residents at Rivendell - all the nice treats help!

Iona left Breadalbane Academy last October and works part-time in a local Bistro in Dunkeld and also carries out volunteering at CATH (Churches Action For The Homeless) in Perth assisting in making lunches and providing refreshments for the service users.

Preparing for a gap Year in South Africa in 2013 Iona is studying teaching English as a Foreign Language using an online tutorial scheme. A fund raising target of £5400 needs to be achieved by Iona to support her year in South Africa - a busy year ahead!

Young Therapet volunteers can commence pet visiting services from the age of sixteen, and dogs must have been in the owners care for at least one year. Volunteers under the age of sixteen can join the service providing they are accompanied with a guardian.

Iona and Purdey have found working as THERAPET Volunteers a most rewarding and fulfilling experience.