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About The Beastly Beasts - By The Beastly Beasts

This is where we, the Beastly Beasts, tell you all about what we've been up to.

We love hearing from you too, so please leave us a message by clicking on "Post a Comment" at the end of the story.

Love and licks,
Kai, Monty, Jack, Troy, Lucy, Mack, & Rosie - The Beastly Beasts

20 January 2009

My First PAT Visit

posted by Rosie at 16:45

Done it, my first PAT visit, and it's just like the others said - brilliant. Me an' Jack met Pat - our PAT organiser - at the desk at St. Andrews Hospital, then we went to see the people that sort out visitors so dad could get a badge that means he's like allowed in the place. All the people in the office thought we were really nice.

Then we went to do our real visit. Plan was to go out for a walk with one of the ladies staying here; this was Alice (not her real name of course 'coz that wouldn't be fair) that Mack and Troy met just before Christmas. So off we went, Jack with Alice, me with Dad, then there was Pat and a lady to look after Alice if needs be like. Jack was dead good and walked along nicely with Alice - Pat said he was the perfect dog for her.

The others had said about how it was nice seeing people smile and you could tell Alice was dead chuffed to be out with Jack, and when we got back to the ward she walked Jack in and showed him to everyone and you should have seen the smile on her face; if it 'ad gone any further round the top of her head would have come off she were that happy. One of the nurses took some pictures of Alice an' Jack and me with one of the other patients. We'd love to be able to show you them, but for pretty obvious reasons we can't.

Then we went to see some of the other people there. Some of them wanted to stroke us and some wanted to give us treats; it's dead 'ard work being a PAT dog y'know.

Then we sat down with the boss nurse and she and Pat and dad had a chat. It turns out that this is going to be our ward and we are going to be their dogs - which is cool. Seems they've been wanting dogs to visit for ages and so the plan is we are going to go for a walk with people when we come to visit then go and see the people who didn't come out with that day - wouldn't want them to miss out on the chance to give us a treat now would we?

Labels: PAT

16 December 2008

Christmas PAT Visit - Day 2

posted by Kai at 19:21

Today Jack and I that went to visit St. Andrews. The Bookend Boys said they really enjoyed themselves yesterday and Jack of course has been before.

Like yesterday Pat and Lucy, and Helen and Shauna were there, and today we also met up with Richard and his two Irish Terriers.

PAT Dogs

Pat with Shaun, Helen and Lucy, Richard and his terriers, Dad and us

We also met Annie who had been accosted by Troy and Mack yesterday; she wanted to know if we only went out in colour coordinated pairs.

We visited a few people today. Our first stop was at a house that's part of the hospital but not in it. Everyone there was really nice and one lady in particular made a big fuss of me saying I was very handsome.

Then we went upstairs but that seemed quite quiet. There was one lady that loved Shauna and stroking her made her smile, and a chap who put his hat on my head and said I looked dead cool.

Our next visit was to some wards for people that have acquired brain injuries. That means that they hurt themselves in some way, a fall, a car crash, or something, and they have to learn stuff all over again. Richard's terriers visit here regularly, and they told us that they were very proud to be on these wards.

First we went the the men's ward. We waited outside in the dining area and some of the guys came to see us; mostly they made a fuss of the terriers as they were their dogs. Next was another men's ward were they made a bit of a fuss of us, but to be honest they seemed more interested in something else.

Then we went to the ladies ward. Here they all cam flocking to see us. A bit like Mack and George yesterday there was a lady, Julie, that didn't seem interested in anything until Lucy stood next to her. Then Julie started stroking her and from the smile on her face I think she enjoyed it as much as Lucy did. Then Lucy got me to have a go and Julie carried on stroking me.

Jack was in his element; he had three ladies stroking and making a fuss of him. In fact when it was time to go he didn't want to move; he reckoned that this was exactly what all hounds should expect. And you know what? The ladies wanted him to stay.

We were supposed to be visiting another of the wards in the unit, but the lady in charge this afternoon said we couldn't; which was a bit of a shame as it was one of the wards Pat would like us to visit.

On the way back to the cars Pat asked dad and us if we'd enjoyed it. We all had and we all felt fine about the places and the people; and there is something about making a person that doesn't have much to smile about smile. So now we are all waiting for dad to get his training done so we can start visiting regularly, and of course Rosie wants to go and see what it's all about - I think she'll enjoy it too.

Labels: PAT

15 December 2008

Christmas PAT Visit - Day 1 (Part 2)

posted by Mack at 20:52

Like Troy said, we did a visit with Pat and Lucy and Helen and Shauna for PAT. Troy's told you about the first few places we went, but there's a couple more to go.

Our next visit was to a ward were people who have Huntington's Disease live. We were quoit excited by this as Pat would like us to visit people here once dad's all sorted with 'is training. As soon as we walked in a lovely lady I'll call Alice came up to greet us. It turns out she really likes dogs an' wants to take one of us for a walk. We couldn't do it today as we were on a tight schedule like, but Alice and a nurse and Pat and dad had a chat, and to cut a long one short, in the new year Alice will be allowed to take Jack for a walk with a carer; well, you'd've thought all Alice's Christmas' had come at once.

Another lass - Sandra - took a right shine to me. She wanted to hold my lead, which was fine; trouble was she didn't want to give it back when it was time to go!! In the end dad unclipped me and we went out of the room; we did get my lead back too.

Last visit of the afternoon was to a ward for the older man. One chap, Alan, was really looking forward to Christmas; he had his Santa hat on and had a singing Rudolph. As we left he gave Pat, Helen and dad one of his paintings.

Our Painting

Like Troy said, if this is what being a PAT dog is about it's blooming great. Dad's explained a bit about some of the reasons that people are there. If we can help - even in a tiny way - to make there stay there a bit nicer it's great, and from what Jack said on his first visit it seems people look forward to you going to see them, and we like people that like us. I'm looking forward to the next visit.

Labels: PAT

Christmas PAT Visit - Day 1 (Part 1)

posted by Troy at 19:49

This afternoon me an' Mack went on our first PAT visits. After Jack's visit we had a conflab and from wot 'ee said we decided we'd go for St. Andrews. So dad's been checked out by the CRB again an' they reckon 'ee's an OK bloke - just shows you can fool some of the people some of the time (just jokin' dad - 'onest).

We met up wiv Pat and Lucy (collie) and Helen and Shauna (German Shepard). Shauna was a right gobby mare 'til we all said "Allo" proper. Lucy and Shauna was done up as fairies, me and Mack 'ad dickie bows a tinsel on to look a bit festive like.

While we was waitin' a lady said "Hi" to dad so I took me chance - straight in for a stroke an' a cuddle. Turns out it's the Volunteer Services lady don't it. She laughed and said "This one's a PAT dog". Not to be left out Mack gets on the uvver side of 'er and does his thing; she reckoned he was one too.

First off we went to an old ladies ward. I reckon most was 'avin' a kip 'coz there weren't that many up an' about, but there was one lady, Mavis I'll call 'er, wot insisted on seein' everyone; lovely lass she was. Each of us went to see Mavis in turn; when she sees me she gave a lovely smile; Mack reckons 'ee got one an all, so I reckon we all did.

Next off was anuvver ladies ward. Funniest fing here was not any off the residents, but one of the staff. Lovely lass called Ester who come from Zimbabwe was workin'. We wanders in looking for people wot's going to make a fuss of us and she gets as far away as she can wivout actually climin' the walls; she's scared of dogs. For me an' Mack, who's mission in life is to be stroked by everyone, this is an unacceptable situation. Five minutes later she's got 'er arms round the Bookend Boys - result.

'Course, we weren't there for the staff an' went to see the ladies wot live there. Joan was very 'appy to us and wanted know everything there is to know about greyhounds - sharp as pin she was.

Then we went a ward for fellas. It did seem like they needed a bit more care, but they were glad to see us and me and Mack don't give a monkeys - a stroke is a stroke. And good fings 'appen.

Mack went up this one chap - we'll call 'im George. Just sittin' there he was, 'ead down looking at 'is lap; turns out that's all George ever does. Well, Mack goes up to 'im and does the big brown eye stare and next fing George is strokin' Mack. We fought nuffink of it 'til all the staff turned round in amazement at wot was 'appenin'. Mack didn't realise 'til I told 'im afterwards, 'ee was quite 'appy 'avin' stroke.

Anyway, I'm gonna stop now and let Mack tell yer about the rest of the afternoon. I'll end by sayin' that I fought it was brilliant. If this is what being a PAT dog is about, bring it on; we made Mavis smile, we got George to take is face out 'is lap and we got Ester to like dogs - well - us two at least; triffik!!

Labels: PAT

17 November 2008

My First PAT Visit

posted by Jack at 17:46

Well now, it wasn't just my first PAT visit, it was de first of any of The Beastly Beasts. Normally it would be Kai dat'd do de first of anything, but he had a cyst removed from one his feet dis week and his paw is all bandaged up, so it fell to me.

So yesterday evening me and dad went and met Pat (who runs PAT in Northampton) and one of her dogs - Lucy - at St. Andrews Hospital to do a visit. Dis was a trial visit to see if we loiked it 'coz St. Andrews is a bit of a special place; you see it's where people go dat have de mental health problems and dat can be anyting; dere are people dat have Huntingtons disease, dat have been hurt in de head in an accident, right de way to some people dat have done some not very noice tings 'coz dey are ill. So to keep dem safe dey live in a "locked environment" and not everyone or everyhound loikes to visit in dat kind of environment. But according to Pat St. Andrews have asked for more PAT dogs 'coz de people loike dem and it makes dem better for a bit, and Pat needed more volunteers. So we was dere to see if we loiked it or not.

Now, before Oi tell you what happened Oi need to say dat when we say anything about our PAT visits de names we use for de people we visit are not de real names - Oi'm sure you'll understand why.

So yesterday we went to two wards both of which Lucy and Pat visit. De first one was a ladies ward. We had to ask to be let in den even when were insoide every door we went truogh had to unlocked den locked behoind us. We went into a room were dere was some ladies and den straight out into de garden were any of de ladies could come and see us if dey wanted. As soon as word got round a few ladies came out to see Lucy and mostly dey made a fuss of her. Oi say mostly 'coz one girl - Oi'll call her Angela made a fuss of me. De others did too, but it turned out dat Angela was scared of dogs and never come out to see Lucy. Her mates had persuaded her and when she saw me she decoided Oi was de one she'd stroke first; and dat was noice. All de girls were really noice and we spent about tree quarters of an hour with dem. Den it was toime to go to the other ward.

Dis ward was for de lads. Loike de ladies one we had go through one door at a toime. When we go to the lads dey was all doin' what I call de biggin' up - loike dey were de man, or one of dem was playin' a game on the telly. But after a bit dey all stopped and made a fuss of Lucy and me - you could tell dey really enjoyed Lucy being dere and Lucy had a bit of a laugh with dem. And loike on de ladies, one lad who had never touched Lucy decoided to give me a stroke. I guess we were dere about half an hour or so. Lokie de ladies dey were really nice and hopefully dey will get better and be able to leave de hospital soon.

So, dis was a test visit. It maybe wasn't what we tought we'd be doin as PAT dogs, but did I enjoy it? Yes. Two people dat were scared of dogs stroked me, and dat has to be a good thing. Was bein' in a locked environment a problem? Oi'm a greyhound - dat's what my life used to be, so no, not a problem. Will the others be OK? I reckon so.

Next dad has to register as a volunteer at St. Andrews and get CRB checked (again) and do some training so dat him and us will safe when we visit on our own. All dat waill take a whoile so we probably won't be doin' any visits again soon. But Oi'm lookin' forward to my next one.

Labels: PAT