A north-east care home welcomed in some adorable visitors to bring a smile to residents’ faces.
Two Shetland ponies were invited into Grove Care Home in Kemnay and were greeted by a number of delighted pensioners.
They petted, cuddled and even kissed the animals, who were highly-trained and comfortable around strangers.
Animal therapy is becoming more and more common as a way of reducing stress and anxiety among older people.
Ponies, dogs and other “therapets” also encourage interaction with others and has been shown to improve self-esteem and motor skills too.
Karen Paul, care home manager on behalf of Meallmore Ltd, which runs the facility, said: “It’s not every day you get ponies wandering through the home, so it was lovely for the residents to have the opportunity to enjoy their company.
“As well as being fun and interesting, animal therapy is also hugely important for our residents as it’s relaxing and can also be a very social activity. The ponies really lifted everyone’s spirits and were adorable.
“At Meallmore, we’re committed to delivering exceptional standards of care to the elderly and frail and animal therapy is just one of the ways in which we try to enrich the lives of our residents.”