Setter of attention

Monday 1st February 2010, 2:58PM GMT.

Sigh the Irish Setter gets petted by members of the Youth Inclusion Project. Senior youth worker Hannah Clarke is on the right Picture: TONY PIKE (00880185)

AN Irish setter has become the Island’s first youth work dog and is already proving to be a big hit with the young people he visits.

Sigh, the three-year-old setter, has been officially adopted by the Jersey Youth Service as its first Pets as Therapy dog.

Sigh is owned by senior youth worker for the Youth Inclusion Project Hannah Clarke and his friendly and laid-back approach has led to him being assessed by the Jersey branch of the Pets as Therapy charity as an ideal canine candidate to work with young people aged between 11 and 25 who have autism or learning disabilities.

Every week, Sigh goes with Hannah to two youth clubs and two after school clubs where he meets the young people and spends time with them while they are relaxing.

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