Relaxation garden for dogs opened in Bath

An animal shelter in Somerset has unveiled a new sensory garden which has been designed to help stressed dogs relax and unwind.

Bath Cats and Dogs Home, a re-homing and charity rescue centre, was founded in 1937 and helps more than 2,500 animals each year. The team at the shelter work with abused, lost, injured, sick and unwanted animals; many of which arrive in a tense and fatigued state. The new garden is specially designed to relieve the symptoms of stress and restore a sense of wellbeing.

Thriving with plants and flowers, the aim of the sensory garden is to speed up the re-homing process. Steve Hill, who works at the shelter, said:

“The garden is all about enriching the lives of our animals and stimulating all of their senses.”

The garden was planned and created by a team made up of dedicated local business owners and volunteers. Some main features of the garden include a stuffed ball water feature, a bamboo forest, sandpits, ponds, caves, bubble machines and a mirror with an essential oil dispenser.

Furthermore, more than 20 textured surfaces are scattered around the grounds, giving dogs the chance to awaken their senses when exploring the garden. Medicinal plants were also selected to help the canine residents feel at ease.

Dogs can experience stress symptoms, just like humans, with unusual body language and tiredness being the main symptoms. Mr Hill went on to explain the objective of the garden, saying that some dogs find it difficult to relax in the kennels.

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