Christine said: “All of our staff are animal lovers. We put ourselves in the residents’ place and think ‘how would we feel if we were ever made homeless and had to give up an animal?’ It would be like giving up a family member, adding to their distress at a time when life is already difficult.
“Animals help with mental health and wellbeing. It gives our lads and lasses a sense of purpose as they are looking after something else, not just themselves. We’ve seen a huge difference in Paul and Ian since they got the dogs.
“It’s not just dogs, we’ve had every type of animal from dogs to cats to budgies to snakes, bearded dragons, mice, gerbils, guinea pigs, the lot!
“We’ve also got a seagull nest on the roof so rescued a baby bird that was attacked by its siblings last week. We had a seagull called Derek outside for a long time, but he got injured and had to go to a sanctuary, now we’ve got one called Betty, she’s a bonnie birdy!”
Christine is now planning a Swan Lodge version of Crufts with residents busy training their dogs up for the competition.
Swan Lodge provides accommodation for up to 65 people who are homeless with support including educational and volunteering opportunities for residents. For more information visit https://www.salvationarmy.org.uk/swan-lodge or search for them on Facebook.
