A mental health unit has welcomed their most recent recruit to the team – Minnie, the therapy dog.

Staff at The Harbour, an inpatient mental health unit on Windmill Rise, Blackpool, have welcomed five-year-old Minnie, a pet therapy dog to the team.

Minnie, a miniature Shitzhu, hits the wards as part of the newly launched ‘Woof Wednesday’ initiative where she meets services users to relieve feelings of depression and encourage them to talk and take part in activities.

Minnie’s owner, Lisa Whittle, is a health and wellbeing occupational health assistant and has been working with Minnie to get her specially trained and qualified for her new role.

Lisa said: “Minnie is the most amazing dog. I have Minnie’s mum as well and as soon as Minnie was born I knew there was something special about her and that she would make the perfect therapy dog.

“We’ve worked together so that she could pass her Pets Therapy Assessment – which she did with flying colours. Now we get to work together every Wednesday which is incredible.”

Animals have been found to bring a sense of homeliness and normality to people who are hospitalised and Minnie is already having a fantastic impact.

Outside Minnie’s working hours, she enjoys spending time with her family and going for walks and playing in her local park.