The pet I'll never forget: Nya, the therapy dog who makes everyone smile

Nya is a German shepherd with a calm temperament around people. She was registered at age five with Pets As Therapy, which brings therapy pets into hospitals, care homes, schools, and other settings to help reduce stress and anxiety. She accompanies her handler on the rail network and attends events to raise awareness of mental health support. She supports people who feel anxious about travelling and can help with depression-related feelings. At an event, a woman spent time cuddling and stroking Nya and reported that it helped break negative thought patterns. Nya also helps the handler switch off during walks and lowers anxiety feelings. She performs tricks during school presentations and draws attention from others.

"When she was five years old, I decided to register her with Pets As Therapy, an organisation that brings therapy pets into hospitals, care homes, schools and other places to befriend people, and help reduce stress and anxiety. I work as the safeguarding and crime prevention lead for TransPennine Express (TPE). Nya comes out with me on the rail network, attending events to raise awareness of mental health support. She is TPE's registered therapy dog it's the first train operator to have its own and I'm really proud of that."

"A lot of people have anxiety about travelling. She can help with that and with feelings of depression. At one event, there was a woman struggling with low mood. She spent 20 minutes with Nya, just rolling on the floor, stroking her, cuddling her. She came up to me and said that it really helped to break her negative chain of thoughts. Nya puts a smile on people's faces."

"After they've met her, people always tell me: That made my day a lot better. She uplifts everyone around her and gets people talking. My little shadow' Stephen and Nya in 2022. Nya looks like a wolf people always come up to us whenever we're out because of this, so she's like a celebrity. I've got two young kids and she comes on the school runs with me."

"Taking her out for a walk helps me switch off it keeps me grounded and lowers the feelings of anxiety that I get sometimes. Nya's helped me before when I've been f"

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