A PENSIONER pet has finally hung up her lead.

Tippy, a terrier/poodle cross, has been working as a Pets As Therapy (PAT) dog in County Durham for most of her 14-year life.

Now well into the autumn of her life, she has been retired from her duties helping the elderly and plans to see out her dotage lazing round the house.

Her owner, Jean Doyle, of Ross, Ouston, near Chester-le-Street, says Tippy's work as a PAT dog provided vital therapy for elderly people with mental illnesses.

Jean said: "She used to visit people in Highfield Hospital's elderly mentally ill day unit in Chester-le-Street, and would help them by just being there.

"Most of them were not able to keep animals at home because they were too old or incapacitated, so they always looked forward to Tippy's visit.

"When she was younger she used to play games with them to help their arm movement and hand-eye coordination, but in recent years she has been slowing down a bit. She has just been going to socialise with them."

Pets As Therapy offers therapeutic visits to hospitals, hospices and nursing homes by volunteers with their own trained and vaccinated dogs.

The animals encourage people who feel isolated or lonely to socialise more, and can help in their recovery from illness.

Jean, a retired teacher, said: "She's earned a really good rest now. I think she'll spend most of the time lying on the settee watching the world go by out of the window."