A regular health and lifestyle column from Corinne Yeadon, of the Being Better private therapy practice in Skipton

OUR dog Sophie has certainly put us through the mill recently. Jack Russells may be deemed bullet proof, but she was diagnosed with cancer during lockdown and in spite of surgery and medication has had a recent relapse of the disease, which was not a surprise.

She is a yappy, bossy, cantankerous old lady, but she’s our yappy, bossy, cantankerous old lady. Feelings of worry and concern are no lesser when it comes to our four-legged friends.

The prospect of saying goodbye is unthinkable. The grief attached to the loss of a beloved pet is not to be minimised and can have a real impact, in addition to the absence that is keenly felt, daily habits and routines are affected, many of which are crucial to our physical and emotional wellbeing. The affection we feel for our animals is impossible to relay to those without pets and can often be misconstrued as human substitutes.

My daughter has learning difficulties and finds it much less complicated to form attachments and place trust in animals. The relationships are far less confusing and straight forward for her. It is not unusual for her use the animals as a conduit to express problematic feelings, for example, “Sophie is feeling worried”. This allows for exploration and discussion around what might be troubling “Sophie”.

The therapeutic benefit of animals is not only acknowledged but encouraged in specialist therapy and to provide a welcome boost to patients and residents in medical and care settings.

We have a contract with an organisation providing residential services for vulnerable people with complex needs. It is heartening that the organisation has a pet policy in recognition not only of the attachment to a companion, but also that exclusion of a pet could be a barrier to accessing services or treatment.

Sophie has bounced back several times, but we are under no illusion that tough choices lay ahead. Pets rely on us to make their decisions for them, it is a heavy responsibility, but part of loving them is knowing when to let go.