After seven years of bringing smiles and cuddles to the children and young people at Derian House, Shuna the German Shorthaired Pointer is ready to retire and put her paws up.
With her soft fur, floppy ears, and calming smile, 12-year-old therapy dog Shuna has been spreading joy at Derian House weekly since she was five-years-old.
To thank her for all her years of service, children, young people, and staff at the hospice gave Shuna the ulti-mutt send off at her very own ‘retirement paw-ty’ on Wednesday 12 March, where everyone gathered to give Shuna a round of a-paws, plenty of pats, and lots of treats.
Shuna was presented with a dog-friendly cake – lovingly made by Derian House’s children and young people – with a peanut butter and coconut oil sponge, and a mashed potato icing. And Shuna’s friends could help themselves to human-friendly dog treat shaped biscuits.
Not only has Shuna visited the hospice to bring smiles each week, she has also made many appearances at Derian House events, including Supercar Showtime, Open Gardens, Trees of Love, and Jingle All The Way. Shuna even won an award for ‘Mutts Amount Raised’ in Derian House’s Top Dog fundraiser in 2023 after raising over £1,000 for the hospice.
Superstar Shuna also had a starring role in ‘The Little Things’, a moving documentary inspired by Derian House, which is set to be released globally in a huge distribution deal. She even paw-sed for photos at the film premiere, which debuted with a special appearance by Benidorm star Steve Pemberton.
Shuna’s owners, retired teachers Linda and Phil Martlew of Wrightington, first registered Shuna as an official Pets as Therapy dog when she was three years old. Shuna will turn 13 in June 2025, and is estimated to be over 80 years old in human years.
Linda said: “Shuna adores visiting Derian House, so it hasn’t been easy to say goodbye. But it’s time for her to enjoy some me-time. We’re looking forward to taking her on lots of walks and, of course, there will be plenty of cuddles.
“Some of Shuna’s favourite memories are the moments she spent being walked around the playground by the children. Shuna loved to meet and greet everyone at Derian House’s events. She enjoyed taking part in Top Dog and winning her own award. I think a highlight for her was featuring in ‘The Little Things’ documentary, and being on the red carpet at the premiere.
“Shuna always gets so many strokes and cuddles – the children absolutely love her. For just a moment, Shuna becomes their pet. She has this incredible calming presence we like to call the ‘Shuna effect.’ The best part is seeing a child’s face light up when she walks into the room.”
The benefits of having a therapy dog have been well documented, with studies showing stroking a pet can reduce stress and bring a calming effect.
Frances Lees, Volunteer Services Coordinator at Derian House, said: “Thank you to Shuna and her owners for all the years of love and cuddles to Derian House’s families and staff. She has been a special friend to hundreds of children over the years. We have so many favourite memories with Shuna, whether it’s making us smile on her rounds of the hospice, or meeting and greeting our supporters at our events.
“Our volunteers – whether canine or human – play a vital role in what we do at Derian House and make an incredible difference to our families, we simply couldn’t do without them!”
Derian House, based in Chorley, Lancashire, cares for more than 400 babies, children, young people and their families from across the North West, helping them make the most of their time.
Derian’s visiting dogs are volunteers with the Pets as Therapy charity that provides therapeutic pet visits across the country. To find out more, visit: https://petsastherapy.org/
