First UK-based Welsh Ambulance Service joins Wellbeing and Trauma Therapy Dog in the UK

The 10-year-old border collie is also a member of the Central Beacons Mountain Rescue team

Border collie Dill is also an operational search and rescue dog with SARDA South Wales, and she is a member of Central Beacons Mountain Rescue Team.

The Welsh Ambulance Service has recruited its first wellbeing and trauma therapy dog in a UK first.

Details

Border collie Dill is part of the Oscar Kilo 9 (OK9) scheme – which was set up by the National Police Wellbeing Service to allow animals to accompany people to work as part of help with their overall mental health.

The national service launched in 2019 and looks to build on local police wellbeing dog services to make them available to all forces who wish to take part.

Dill has passed the assessments set by OK9 and hit all the criteria to become a wellbeing and trauma therapy dog for the Trust. Her handler Katie McPheat-Collins, service manager for the emergency medical services across Central Wales, said:

Dill’s integration is part of a broader programme to improve the health and wellbeing of staff and volunteers.

Katie added:

With Dill they are able to focus on Central Wales, where crews especially from the smaller satellite stations may not be on base for a number of hours, and therefore not have the shared benefit of a canine visit.

Dill’s support can be in the form of station visits to help with morale and stress, a presence during debriefs, or community engagement especially when connecting with young, elderly or vulnerable audiences.

Sgt Garry Botterill, Wellbeing and Trauma Support Dog Project Lead with the National Police Wellbeing Service, said: