IN MEMORY of a one-of-a-kind therapy dog, Daleside Veterinary Group are hosting an extra special fundraising event to help provide life-saving equipment.
Taken into the family home of Mayor of Wrexham Andy Williams nine-years-ago, Buddi's natural and remarkable ability to comfort others was recognised almost immediately.
Laying his head gently to the side of a person's injury, or where they were feeling pain, the family knew he'd make an incredible therapy dog. It was then that Andy applied to the Pets as Therapy charity.
Donate to Buddi's Smokey Paws Legacy here.
Together, Andy and Buddi set out visiting patients at Nightingale House Hospice where Buddi would sit with cancer patients and visit the Day Care Unit to comfort people.
Later, their visits took them to Wrexham Maelor Hospital and Alder Hay where the pair would make calls sometimes twice a week. Buddi was given an all-access hospital pass allowing him to go into the theatre recovery room, intensive care and children's wards.
His calm and friendly presence provided a much welcomed distraction to the stressful nature of the staff's work, as well as comforting the patients. It wasn't long before Buddi was filmed for various BBC and ITV programmes including BBC1's Children's Ward.
As well as hospital visits, Buddi and Andy have done a lot of work in the Wrexham community, treating dog phobias, visiting gyms and students in Coleg Cambira.
Three years ago, Wrexham Fire Station received a donation of animal resuscitation kits from the charity Smokey Paws. The masks are designed to fit over the animal's nose and mouth to deliver an efficient flow of oxygen during a fire.
Owner and director of Daleside Veterinary Practice Vanessa Griffiths approached Andy with an offer to sponsor Buddi. Together over 18-months, Buddi accompanied her to the fire station to play a key role in training the crew on how to use the kit.
Vanessa taught dog anatomy, including how to locate a pulse, how to find the animals heart and how to safely perform compression. There is currently just one Smokey Paws kit shared between three fire engines in Wrexham, which has been used at least nine times already.
However, sadly in March this year, Buddi passed away after sharing goodbye's with his wonderful family. He received hundreds of messages of sympathy across social media from followers, even some as far as New Zealand.
While their world was turned upside down, Andy has remained determined to raise money to equip all fire engines in the region with this vital equipment, enabling the crews to help even more animals in life-or-death situations.
On Friday, May 24 Daleside Vets are holding a cake sale across all three branches to honour the wonderful Buddi who brought comfort and joy to countless lives.
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There will also be a raffle available with two incredible dog and cat hampers up for grabs.
Buddi's Smokey Paws Legacy is aiming to raise crucial funds to equip fire engines at Wrexham Fire Station with Smokey Paws Kits. He touched countless lives with genuine happiness, ease and comfort in times of sorrow and suffering, trauma and loneliness.
The kits are essential to save the lives of pets in an emergency. Please donate if you can.
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