Honey becomes a star

Honey the spoodle became a star of the TVS show Creature Corner for the smiles and laughter she brings to the residents and staff at Hall & Prior’s Menaville Aged Care Home in New South Wales’ Rockdale.

The cameras were rolling over the weekend as Hall & Prior’s Pets as Therapy program was put in the spotlight.

“We have been running the program for a number of years, and it’s wonderful to see the residents’ faces light up when Honey (pictured) and her owner, Peter, visit our home,” Menaville’s director of nursing, Sarah Riach, said.

Host of Creature Corner, Camilla Callie-Coster, visited Menaville on Saturday to interview the driving force behind the program, Velma Harris, of Velma’s Pets as Therapy.

“Honey offers physical, emotional, mental and social stimulation, as well as the opportunity for a cuddle with a furry friend,” said Ms Harris, who has been bringing joy to adults and children in care for more than a decade.

With the help of a dedicated group of volunteers, Ms Harris is able to provide about 15,000 people with the opportunity to benefit from the therapeutic quality of animals every year.

The pets come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from dogs and cats to rabbits, guinea pigs and parrots.

Hall & Prior is a private organisation that specialises in residential aged care New South Wales and Western Australia.