Dog News

Dog Cheers Granny with Alzheimer’s & Internet Goes Bazoo

by Amy Drew

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Richard Dawson is a 28-year-old digital marketer. Per BuzzFeed News. Dawson lives in Worthing, England with his brother, his grandfather and his 95-year-old grandmother, Winifred Lowe.

Dawson cares for Lowe, who has Alzheimer’s.

“She has good and bad days,” he said. “She can get very confused and upset, or sometimes angry.”

Dawson says the family has been having a special visitor twice a week for about a month now. Her name is Orla. She is a 9-month-old dachshund. And, he says, the dog seems to have changed his Gran’s life for the better since they’ve been “borrowing” her.

Whenever Orla comes round, Lowe is “constantly smiling and playing and doesn’t worry about not remembering things”, Dawson said. “It’s the same when my brother brings my 1-year-old nephew over…. She plays with him for hours and is fine.”

Since Dawson shared this sweet moment on Twitter it gained over 5,000 likes and over 2,000 retweets.

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“It’s been really nice to hear that the pictures have made people cry with happiness,” Dawson said. “I’ve had people sharing similar stories with me of how dogs have helped their loved ones with dementia and sending me pictures of their dogs.

“One lady told me how their pet had actually died yesterday, so seeing my Nan and Orla together had really cheered her up,” he said.

One woman from Bellevue, WA, responded: “There is nothing like snuggling with a pet. There is just nothing better than being adored by your dog or cat or…..whatever. And it’s good for you, too.”

We agree. The power of animals is healing. We wish Mrs. Lowe much happiness with Orla and her family.