Cian’s Kennels announce new mobile unit

The couple behind Cian’s Kennels announced a new service the charity will be offering from next year, when they appeared on an episode of Nationwide focusing on the The Late Late Toy Show Appeal.

The episode aired the Wednesday before this year’s Late Late Toy Show, and on it Evelyn and Enda Neary spoke about Cian’s Kennels, which they set up in memory of Cian, their 15-year-old son.

“When Cian was diagnosed with hepatosplenic T cell lymphoma, we asked him if there was anything we could get him to make him feel better. It was then that Cooper, a gorgeous golden Labrador puppy, joined our family,” their website states.

Evelyn and Enda told Nationwide: “The [Late Late Toy Show] appeal has made a big impact on this charity. Funding like that is hugely significant for us in helping towards our running costs, including kennelling and transport, veterinary, all of that, so it was fantastic. With help from the Toy Show Appeal, donations and private sponsors, the charity has big plans for the future.

“There is something we’ve been working on quietly over the last couple of months, and that is to provide a mobile pet visiting unit to the hospitals throughout the country, a van with wheelchair accessibility and it’ll be kitted out like our facility in Dublin – kennels on wheels.”

The official launch of the mobile pet therapy unit is scheduled for the Midlands Regional Hospital in Mullingar at the end of January.

The team are putting the finishing touches to the unit, which will provide a safe and welcoming space for children and teens to interact with fully trained and certified therapy dogs “bringing a bit of fun and normality to their lives during a difficult time”.