Pet Hero nominee bringing joy to patients in hospital

A GOLDEN retriever who has spent more than a decade visiting poorly youngsters and elderly patients is among the top pets hoping to be crowned Edinburgh's Pet Hero.

Kyle has been nominated for visiting patients at the Royal Edinburgh and Sick Kids' hospitals, where he has lifted their spirits and brought happiness to their days.

More than 150 well-groomed pets have already been entered into Edinburgh's Pet Idol 2011 – and we are keen to ensure the Pet Hero competition receives just as many nominations. The Evening News and Lothian and Borders Police, which are running the contest, are appealing for owners to nominate pets that have done something brave, shown unwavering courage, or posses great loyalty.

Prospective entrants will be up against Kyle, 13, a highly-trained "Therapet", and Suzie, 5, who has looked after her 95-year-old owner since her husband passed away.

Elizabeth Hughes, from Colinton, has been taking Kyle to hospitals for ten years.

She said: "Kyle started as a Therapet after I saw an advert in a shop years ago looking for pets to visit patients, and so after the training we started at Davidson House care home.

"Since then he's gone on to work with many children and adults in all sorts of areas. We began working with children with phobias of dogs, in some cases quite extreme, and allow them to overcome that fear with Kyle's help. He's such a soft and gentle dog, and he's always been so calm. More recently he's visited the Sick Kids's hospital where children can brush his soft coat and he can play with them. At the Royal Edinburgh he visited a lady who wasn't able to get out of bed, but having him there brought great happiness to her and the nurses said she was talking about it for days."

Mrs Hughes said Kyle would work until his final day to make children happy, and his work could be carried on by his great newphew, one-year-old Reese.

Mrs Hughes added: "He won't be here much longer. I'm so proud of him and while I'd be thrilled if he wins, the main thing is highlighting the work Therapets do."

Meanwhile Suzie, who belongs to Gladys McVinnie, 95, a retired butcher, from Craiglockhart, has been entered by Mrs McVinnie's daughter Marlene because she has looked after Mrs McVinnie since her husband passed away.

Mrs McVinnie said she couldn't get by without Yorkie Suzie, who counts her "likes" as being petted on someone's knee and "dislikes" as both the postman and the Evening News paperboy.

She said: "I don't know what I'd do without Suzie. I'm hard of hearing but she tugs on my trouser leg when the phone rings or when the door goes.

"She is a great companion since my husband past away. She deserves to be recognised for the work she does for me."

The closing date for both contests is Wednesday July 13.

For Pet Idol, readers will be able to vote and whittle down finalists from 30 to 20, then 10, before a final vote.

Supplements in the Evening News detailing all contestants will be published on July 20, for all pets, July 27 for cats and August 3 for dogs.

Pet Hero finalists will be chosen by Evening News editor Tom Little and champion dog handler PC Rhona Meikle, with the winner chosen by readers.