A social enterprise in Pembrokeshire is helping to improve the lives of vulnerable people in Pembrokeshire with its unique dog walking service.

Supporting People and Pets through Opportunity and Training (SPPOT) was set up in 2013 by dog behaviourist Kerri Bee, who has more than 10 years’ experience working with vulnerable people.

Based in Haverfordwest, SPPOT aims to bring the needs of people together with the needs of dogs. It offers qualified dog training and behaviour services and dog walking and sitting to the general public and accredited training courses for people who are considered furthest away from the job market, i.e. people who have long term illnesses and disabilities enabling them to become volunteer dog walkers, sitters, day carers and home boarders.

SPPOT is funded entirely through grants, and the funds they generate through the services they provide are used to fund the fully accredited training of volunteer dog walkers. Twelve trainees recently passed their vocational dog walking training course and will join the rest of the team walking dogs around Pembrokeshire.

The service, which now covers Fishguard, Haverfordwest, Milford Haven, Neyland, Rosemarket and many surrounding villages, is available to all dog owners at low rates (£8 per hour for one dog, £10 for two) to enable people on lower incomes to use the service. However, SPPOT offers a concessionary rate of £5 per hour (with further concessions available in some situations) to people who find it difficult to walk their dogs due to mobility problems.

All dog walkers complete six months of training with a qualified behaviourist, are fully insured and abide by a strict code of conduct.

Angela Clarke is one of the dog walkers. She said: “I loved the course and I’m looking forward to helping people who can’t walk their dogs.”

Huw Thomas is a customer from Fishguard. He said: “If I didn’t have someone to walk Lucy, I would have to give her up and that would be awful.”

Kerri Bee, SPPOT operations and development manager, said: “SPPOT is unique in that it offers a triangular service by working with vulnerable adults to provide services for other vulnerable and isolated adults and their dogs who are at risk.”

She said SPPOT’s volunteer dog walkers usually live in social or supported housing where they cannot have pets, so becoming a dog walker enables contact with dogs.

In addition, the service enables elderly people to keep their dogs, alleviating loneliness and health problems that stem from being isolated.

“Walking in the fresh air has its own proven health benefits, but walking with a dog improves social contact with other people too, and helps break down social barriers to disability,” Kerri said. “Dog walkers can also become befrienders to isolated dog owners and their dogs, which creates a sense of responsibility and in turn, job satisfaction.”

For more information about any of SPPOT’s services or to find out how to get involved, visit http://www.sppot.org.uk/ or call 01437 767648/07962220625. You can also find SPPOT on Facebook and Twitter.