Chilli the Shih Tzu didn’t have the easiest start to life. A member of the public found her tied to a van at a garage sale when she was just six weeks old, and too young to be away from her mother.
Fortunately, they told the authorities, and the RSPCA rescued the poor pup, along with another puppy she was tied up alongside. They took her to their Hillfield Animal Home in Staffordshire, where veterinarians treated her for anemia, fleas, worms, and dental issues.
Becoming a Therapy Dog
After her medical treatment, Julia Sanders fostered and later adopted the young Shih Tzu and her brother, Bean. And because of the pair’s sweet and gentle nature, their dog mom decided that they’d be good therapy dogs. As a result, she got them qualified as Pets As Therapy (PAT) pups.
Through their work, they brighten the life of both the young and the old. They visit the seniors at Charlotte James Care Home as well as the children at the Thomas Russell Infants’ School.
“Both dogs are soft little balls of fluff with very gentle natures and they have a huge impact on the people they visit,” said Julia to Metro. “It’s lovely to see the relationships they build up with the children and care home residents.
“When they see Chilli and Bean they will often sit up and smile and the dogs will jump up on their laps for a cuddle. The families of the residents often say to me how wonderful it is to see how their loved ones react.
“Bean’s visits to the school are just as eagerly anticipated by the children. They don’t stop talking after they’ve seen him and he brings great comfort to pupils who may be anxious or dealing with other issues in their lives.
“I don’t think you can underestimate the difference a therapy dog can make to people’s wellbeing. After their difficult start in life it’s heart-warming to see how Chilli and Bean are lighting up peoples’ lives and I hope to extend their visits to local hospitals and hospices in the future.”
Animal Abandonment on the Rise
But while Chilli has certainly made the best of her life after a sad start, we can’t forget that she’s not alone. “We’ve sadly seen a shocking rise in the number of incidents of animal abandonment and neglect our rescuers are dealing with,” said Dermot Murphy, who leads the frontline rescue teams at the RSPCA.
“My fear is that we’ll see increasing cases of animals neglected and abandoned this Christmas as families struggle with soaring bills.”
