A Narberth vets practice is helping caring canines start their careers in the county.

Malthouse Vets are providing free health checks for potential Pembrokeshire Health and Wellbeing Dogs, as they embark on the assessment procedure.

The organisation aims to improve the lives of people in hospitals, care homes and other organisations by offering interaction with specially chosen dogs.

The therapeutic qualities of friendly four-legged visitors can help promote physical, psychological and social wellbeing, and canine companionship sessions can encourage socialisation and exercise among the most vulnerable in Pembrokeshire’s communities.

The dogs have to be suitable for the work and meet certain criteria, and their roles are now being supported by Malthouse vets who are offering free initial health checks.

A Malthouse Vets spokesman said: “We are delighted to be working alongside such a kind and caring organisation, pet therapy is such an invaluable and wonderful thing, and by us offering our services for free we hope that this small gesture shows how much we support Pembrokeshire health and wellbeing dogs and the pleasure they bring to those in need.”

Checks will assess the dogs’ general health such as body condition, eyes, ears, teeth and paws and vaccination history.

Collie cross Cerys recently passed her assessment at Malthouse vets, and has now started volunteering with adults with mental health at St Caradog Ward within Hywel Dda Health Board.

Kylene Rafferty, of Pembrokeshire Health and Wellbeing Dogs, said: “We are looking for healthy, happy and well-behaved dogs, so bringing health checks into the selection process is very important.

“The support Malthouse Vets provide us with is incredible, providing health checks free of charge which help us to ensure that the dogs who volunteer with us are sufficiently healthy to do so.”

To find out more about the project, volunteering, or to make a donation visit healthandwellbeingdogs.co.ukor follow the organisation on Facebook.