Dogs provide emotional comfort.

My brothers beloved family dog passed away suddenly and unexpectedly. It was very upsetting and emotional. I borrowed a friends dog and took him for a walk to Anzac Park, where I sat quietly on the bench near the drinking fountain, watching the dogs and the owners socialise, while my friends little dog trotted around. Then, one by one, the dogs in the park came over to me and laid their head on my knee for a pat. It was amazing. I cried and cried and each of the dogs just spent that little bit of time with me to comfort me. The dogs thought it was totally normal that there was a lady sitting crying in the park, and they let me know it was ok. I wouldn’t have believed it if it hadn’t happened to me.

And it wouldn’t have, if the dogs were on leads. That just simply couldn’t have happened. Who knows who these dogs are helping? It’s about so much more than exercise....