MANY elderly people who live in residential care homes in our area benefit from regular visits by visiting dogs under the umbrella of various charities such as Caring Canines.

These animals bring an immense amount of comfort and happiness to people, especially those who have had animals all their lives but in their final years are precluded from keeping one as their care needs demand that they live in a residential care home.

Even those with advanced dementia often recognise animals long after they have lost the ability to identify people.

The families of the residents also become accustomed to meeting these dogs and often grow fond of them.

The dogs’ owners will commonly attend the funeral of a person they have been taking their dog to visit when their life finally draws to its close and again the families and friends are often comforted to see an animal that has meant something special to the person who has recently died.

In Poole, these dogs are not only permitted to attend the crematorium but are actively welcomed.

The same welcome has been experienced elsewhere including Weymouth and Guildford. Sadly, Bournemouth do not permit dogs at the crematorium. It is not clear why.

There are no health and safety or hygiene reasons and these are all trained and assessed animals accompanied by experienced owners so there is no question of the dogs behaving inappropriately.

Would the council or the superintendent please consider whether this policy might be reasonably adjusted to permit this last chapter of a person’s life to include the four legged friend whose visits were so welcome in their later years?

COLIN PIPE, Durley Gardens, Bournemouth