BUDDY, a seven-year-old Bichon Frise has been named ‘top dog’ in a national competition run by the Sue Ryder charity.

He is owned by 79 year-old Eleanor Monks, from Bradley, and was selected as a winner in Sue Ryder’s Ambassadog search in partnership with Pets as Therapy, and will now become the official ‘ambassadog’ for Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice in Oxenhope, near Keighley.

Buddy is one of 10 ‘fur-bulous’ ‘ambassasdogs’ which have been announced as winners and will carry out important duties at each of Sue Ryder’s neurological care centres, hospices, and palliative care hubs across the UK.

Each ambassadog will work with Sue Ryder to spread love and support to those who need it most. For people living with a terminal diagnosis, complex neurological condition or acquired brain injury, Sue Ryder believes that the unconditional love of a dog can provide companionship, relieve stress and bring joy.

Before the coronavirus outbreak, Eleanor and Buddy had been regularly visiting staff and patients at Sue Ryder Manorlands Hospice for over two years.

Eleanor said: “Buddy enjoys being with service users, either sitting on their knee or if they wish, lying on their bed. He puts a smile on the faces of the hard-working staff, as well as the really ill patients. He will lay quietly on the floor for children to cuddle him, and he was so loved by one patient that the family requested he be at the funeral where he sat at the front of the chapel.”

All the ambassadog winners were selected by a panel of dog-loving celebrity judges, including presenter Kaye Adams, actress Carley Stenson, TV presenter Richard Arnold and author Emily Dean, as well as expert judge, Matthew Robinson from Pets As Therapy and Heidi Travis, chief executive of Sue Ryder.

Heidi said: “Congratulations to the winners of our ambassadog search. Pet therapy is a fantastic way to reduce stress and bring happiness to the people that use our end of life and neurological care services.

“We are all extremely excited to be able to welcome back our new ambassadogs once the government announces that it is safe to do so.”

Each ambassadog has been assessed to make sure they fit the Pets As Therapy temperament assessment and are sociable, friendly, calm and gentle enough to work with Sue Ryder’s patients.

Each owner of the ambassadogs is DBS checked and undertakes volunteer training before visiting a Sue Ryder service.