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About Willows Animal Sanctuary
Willows Animal Sanctuary is the largest equine, farm and domestic animal sanctuary in Scotland and will try to help any animal in
distress. We operate a strict no kill policy and only euthanise an animal on veterinary advice. We look after over 450 animals including over 100 horses,
ponies and donkeys, approximately 60 cats and dogs and many reptiles as well as over 200 farm animals and birds. We are totally dependent on donations, legacies and grants from benevolent organizations to keep the sanctuary running.
Unlike larger charities we have no reserves of money and are always desperately short of funds. We specialise in helping elderly or more
vulnerable animals that have already been refused help by well-known large national charities, but we can only continue to help needy animals with
your support!
Lucky: I would have starved to death in plain sight
The Animal-Assisted Therapy Unit at Willows
Willows helps many vulnerable people with its
animal-assisted therapy (AAT) programme. The concept of allowing rescued animals to help vulnerable
people on the road back to health is very innovative and has been independently evaluated and shown to
be highly beneficial. Because of the increased demand for our
AAT programme during the week, Willows
will be reducing the opening hours of our Scottish visitor attraction to Saturday & Sunday only.
The visitor attraction will still be available for pre-booked School, clubs and group visits through the week.
Willows has run its AAT Programme for people with severe mental health difficulties,
for approximately 17 years.
The AAT programme at Willows started out as
a pilot scheme but soon came to be regarded
as a useful alternative to day/hospital care
by social workers, psychiatrists and
employment officers in the Aberdeenshire
region.
Willows now has a service level agreement with Aberdeenshire Council
to help people with severe and enduring mental health difficulties.
Since starting the programme we have identified other client groups who would benefit from using our service. Currently we are experiencing an
increased demand for places from young people and especially school-phobics and troubled teenagers. More people than ever are looking into alternatives to assist with anxiety,
depression, and other mental health difficulties.
Our AAT programme has boosted confidence, helped overcome anxiety, taught new skills and opened doors for
employability and further education. Our therapy programme is run by a team of experienced staff (some of whom have personal experience with mental
health issues themselves).Willows acts as a life line for many vulnerable people, and in many cases it is the only programme particular clients are willing
to try. We work very closely with employment officers, social workers and back to work programmes etc. This helps us to maintain the high standard of service
that we provide.
'I feel being at the sanctuary has helped me move forward and I am feeling more confident'
- Julie is now considering seeking paid work, the fact she is thinking about this shows how far she has come!
'Being at Willows is a chance to escape from reality!'
- Jill has suffered with depression for a long time and has really blossomed since being at Willows.
'Being around all the wonderful animals has made me feel useful!'
Taking part in the AAT helps people to put animals first and this can help with resolving issues at home.
'I now feel like a different person, I can now cope with people, in the past I would have tried to avoid people by crossing the street if
necessary or not going out' - Brian now feels so much better
he is now helping others at Willows!
Mary looks forward to her time at the sanctuary it gives her
'time out'.
Jemma feels that attending the Willows AAT programme has helped her enormously with her depression and panic attacks. She feels the animals
need her to feed them and being at Willows makes her feels happy and free. Jemma also said the she
'enjoys this the most' out all of her activities.
'Coming to the Willows on a Monday kick starts my week if I don’t attend my whole week doesn’t feel right' -
John has suffered with severe depression
for years… Willows AAT is the only activity he attends.
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