Link in the chain
Tackling mental health, poverty and loneliness through pet ownership
When
Thursday 28 November 2019
Where
IET London: Savoy Place, 2 Savoy Pl, London WC2R 0BL
About the conference
A one-day conference focussing on the benefits and barriers to pet ownership. We will examine the role pets can play in people’s lives and specifically look at the issues of mental health, isolation and loneliness and poverty and low income. We will hear stories of how pets have changed people’s lives for the better and helped them in challenging circumstances.
Topics covered will include
- Support for pet owners in crisis
- Affordable vet care provision
- Pets and mental health
- Pets and the elderly
- Housing and pets
- Use of animal assistance therapy
- Alleviating symptoms of loneliness
This is a timely opportunity to bring together the third sector, politicians and academics to recognise the role pets play in people’s lives and to discuss how we can work collaboratively to ensure more people can enjoy the benefits of pet ownership and contact with animals. We hope you will be able to join us on 28th November for what promises to be an informative day.
Sold out
We will be livestreaming the day so please feel free to tune in below. The live stream can be accessed between 9am – 5pm. Timings may be subject to small changes.
Registration will open at 9am, ready for a 9.30am start.
Order of the day
Chair: Sally de la Bedoyere
Opening from Sally de la Bedoyere – Blue Cross
Steve Goody – Blue Cross
Tackling mental health, poverty and loneliness through pet ownership
Vicki Nash – Mind
Mental health and Pets: life-saving or problem exacerbating?
Dr Mel Moss - Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation
Impact of AAT in Acute Mental Health
Bronwen Williams – Registered Mental Health Nurse
Our Animals, Our Mental Health
BREAK 11.00am-11.25am
Chair: Claire Horton
Rich Casey – Blue Cross
User focussed vet care: a call to collaborate
Zoe Edwards – Mayhew
The power of the human animal bond; saving animals lives by saving peoples lives
Ailsa Jones – PDSA
PDSA – Helping people and pets in poverty when they need us most
Clare Kivlehan – Dogs Trust
Dogs Trust Hope Project – delivering and innovating to support dog owners in housing crisis
BREAK 12.50 pm-1.50pm
Chair: Lord Trees
Nick Sedgwick – Anchor Hanover
Supporting health and wellbeing in housing for older people
Lyn Ambrose – Pets Against Loneliness
Pets Against Loneliness: A scalable model of a grassroots project.
Jennifer Dixon-Clegg – British Horse Society
If our Great-Grandparents asked… ”So what do horses do now?
Gilly Mendes Ferreira – Scottish SPCA
Can pets make a positive impact on human lives regardless as to how old or young you are?
BREAK 3.15pm-3.40pm
Chair: Steve Goody – Blue Cross
Panel discussion; What benefits can animals bring to individuals and the wider community?
Karen Janes – Blue Cross
Andrew James – Hearing Dogs for Deaf People
Jenny Stavisky - University of Nottingham/ Vets in the Community
Amy Rosa & Mandy Bentley – St Mungo’s Outside In Forum
CLOSING REMARKS 4.45pm
Download our report, A Link in the Chain
Pets help us in so many ways. Watch our stories of the difference pets are making to mental health, poverty and loneliness in the UK today.
Amanda and Jasmine's story
Elwyn and Badger's story
Paula's and Benji's story, with St Mungo's
Stories from Anchor Hanover's residential homes
Stories from Pets Against Loneliness (PAL)
Community cats from Mayhew
