Therapawtic Animal Assisted Care

11/06/2026

Community Matters had the pleasure of visiting the The Black Country Therapeutic Centre to see the beginnings of their new children's therapy room. Even at this early stage, it is clear that once completed, this wonderful space will be a blessing to so many children and families within our community. 💙

It was also a pleasure to catch up with Tommy, a highly experienced and qualified psychotherapist, supervisor, and educator, who has dedicated over 14 years to supporting others. His passion, professionalism, and commitment to making a difference are truly inspiring.

A huge thank you also goes to the lovely Sammi for her amazing donation of beautifully handcrafted Emotional Buddies. Your kindness and creativity will bring comfort and support to many young people, and they will look fantastic in the new therapy rooms. 🧸❤️

At Community Matters, we are proud to celebrate and support those who are making a real difference in the lives of children and families. Together, we are building stronger, healthier communities. 🌈

30/05/2026

Sometimes animals know exactly when we need them most 💜

Vicky still gets pancreatitis flare-ups from time to time, and they can cause moderate to severe pain. Today, when one hit, Luna did something she's never really done before.

She came straight over to Vicky, climbed up beside her, and stayed completely calm and gentle. She grounded her when the pain was at its worst, suckling on her top and giving her the softest little licks. she knew something wasn't right and was doing everything she could to comfort her.

The amazing thing is that as soon as the pain eased off, she went back to her usual self and wandered off as though her job was done 🥰

People often underestimate how intuitive animals can be, but today Luna reminded Vicky just how special that bond is. When she needed comfort the most, she was right there beside her 🐾❤️

Little nurse, Little guardian, Luna

26/05/2026

Some dogs do more than keep us company, they become a safe place for our hearts. 🤍

Remy struggles with a deep fear of flies that can send her into complete panic and overwhelm. But when Luna is near, everything changes. The fear softens, the panic eases, and Remy finds comfort just by being beside her.

Today, Remy quietly said:
“i feel safe by Luna” 🥹

That is the magic of a therapy dog.
Not just love, but safety.
Not just companionship, but calm in the middle of chaos.

Luna has this gentle way of grounding the people around her, reminding them they are protected, understood, and never alone. Sometimes healing doesn’t come in words, sometimes it has four paws, soft eyes, and simply stays close when you need it most. 🐾✨

18/05/2026

Today was such a special and emotional day for myself, Vicky and Luna 🐾❤️

Today showed how amazing it can be when community get together, the sound in the background of everyone chatting, laughing and just being themselves, this is exactly what we wanted.

Luna is already showing us just how powerful the connection between dogs and people can be. We reached out into our community to bring people together for open conversations, questions, and answers about how therapy dogs could support people of all ages and backgrounds.

We spoke about anxiety, mental health, additional needs, loneliness, confidence building, emotional wellbeing, and the comfort that a calm and loving dog can bring simply by being present.

What really touched us was hearing the community share their own thoughts, experiences, and hopes for how therapy dogs could make a difference to lives. It reminded us that sometimes support does not always need words, sometimes it starts with a wagging tail, a gentle cuddle, or simply feeling safe.

This is only the beginning of Luna’s journey, but we are so proud of how far she has already come, and so grateful to everyone who came together with kindness, openness, and support today.

Thank you for believing in what therapy dogs can bring to our community 🐶💛

17/05/2026

If you can make it tomorrow we’d really appreciate it :)

We believe the best ideas start with people coming together ❤️🐶

What happens when a dog, two humans, and a big idea come together? 🐕✨

Myself, Vicky and Luna have been building something new behind the scenes, something centred around connection, wellbeing, and community 🐾

We are looking for local people to help us launch a brand new community focused project, we would love to gather everyone together for a special photo soon. 📸

Luna is currently undergoing her therapy dog award journey, and we would love to celebrate this next chapter with a community group photo.

If you’d like to be involved from the very beginning, drop a comment or message us 🐾 you will need to be available 10:15am on Monday 18th May.

15/05/2026

We believe the best ideas start with people coming together ❤️🐶

What happens when a dog, two humans, and a big idea come together? 🐕✨

Myself, Vicky and Luna have been building something new behind the scenes, something centred around connection, wellbeing, and community 🐾

We are looking for local people to help us launch a brand new community focused project, we would love to gather everyone together for a special photo soon. 📸

Luna is currently undergoing her therapy dog award journey, and we would love to celebrate this next chapter with a community group photo.

If you’d like to be involved from the very beginning, drop a comment or message us 🐾 you will need to be available 10:15am on Monday 18th May.