Smiling dog lying on living room carpet
Get The ‘feel Good Factor’ With Dogs And Volunteering With Dogs Trust This World Mental Health Day
3 years ago 
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99.1% of dog lovers agree that their canine companions have a 'paw-sitive' impact on mental wellbeing
To mark World Mental Health Day today, Monday 10 October, Dogs Trust is encouraging dog lovers to consider volunteering for our canine companions, with research showing that it can be beneficial for mental wellbeing.
Known as ‘Man’s best friend’, dogs have traditionally been our loyal companions, and the UK’s largest canine welfare charity has shared that for most dog-owners, they also can boost their mental wellbeing. In a recent Twitter poll carried out by Dogs Trust, a whopping 99.1% of followers agreed that their dog had a ‘paw-sitive’ impact. They also shared how their four-legged friends brighten their days commenting: “Walk[ing] through the door to be met with a wagging tail, always happy to see me. Going on long walks gives me time to think things through and someone to cuddle up to on the sofa at night.”
With research also suggesting that volunteering can benefit mental health*, Dogs Trust is hoping that dog lovers will be motivated to support the charity by becoming a foster carer. Owing to the cost of living crisis, the charity has received a record number of enquiries from people needing to rehome their dogs, and it is seeking dedicated foster carers who can temporarily take in a dog until they find their forever home.
Adam Clowes, Dogs Trust Operations Director said:
“Foster carers are crucial to our rehoming process, now more than ever, with a record number of dog-owners turning to us for help. We are urgently seeking foster carers who can offer a temporary home to big dogs, dogs with little to no housetraining, or a dog with challenging behaviour, so we can free valuable space in our rehoming centres to support the next dog who has nowhere else to turn.
“Fostering is a fun and incredibly rewarding experience. It’s perfect for people who would love to have a dog in their life, but who can’t commit to having a permanent canine companion or can’t take on the cost of a dog as volunteer foster carers are provided with everything the dog needs such as food, bedding, and toys, and Dogs Trust will cover the cost of any necessary vet bills.”
If you have space in your heart and home to be foster carer for Dogs Trust, please visit: www.dogstrust.org.uk/rehoming/fostering
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