Longford's Cian’s Kennels in bid to open in new Children’s Hospital

Cian’s Kennels is a first of its kind pet visiting facility which allows children who are in-patients in CHI Crumlin to spend time with their dogs while in hospital.

The DSPCA has since partnered with Cian’s Kennels to provide overnight care for the dogs in their nearby kennels, once they have visited their owner. Their mission is to bring pets closer to sick children and their families.

“We can’t find anywhere else in the world where this exact model has been attempted,” said Evelyn. “And sometimes I can understand why,” she laughed, talking about all the hard work that goes into it.

Now, a year later, the plans are in motion to move Cian’s Kennels to the new Children’s hospital when it opens and will continue to service children across the country.

Speaking about future plans for Cian’s Kennels, Evelyn said, “When we first set up in 2020, we had two distinct phases for the short to medium term. Phase one is now complete and that was the pet visiting facility at CHI Crumlin. As everybody knows CHI Crumlin will become part of the new Children’s hospital so our phase two plans revolve around the new children’s hospital at the St. James's site. So, we are currently in the very early stages of thinking where our facility might be and how it might look, so we are looking forward to getting started on that.”

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When Cian was initially diagnosed, the doctors suggested that he should ask his parents for something very special. Cian asked for a puppy, and that is when Cooper joined the Neary family.

Cian spent the last three months of his life in Crumlin Hospital and the Neary’s realised very quickly that Cooper was going to play a hugely significant role in Cian’s life. From when Cian was initially diagnosed, he didn’t go back to school and spent a lot of time between home and the hospital. “Walking Cooper, feeding Cooper, training Cooper, just gave him a reason to get up every day if he wasn’t feeling well,” said Evelyn.

It became obvious to Evelyn, Enda and his younger brother Shane, that when Cian was in hospital, he really missed Cooper, which is when they moved Cooper to Dublin to be near Cian while he was in hospital. At the time, Cooper stayed in Kennels nearby and visited Cian outside St. John’s Oncology Unit, in the very same spot that the pet visiting facility is now.

“The feedback from families has been overwhelming at times,” said Cian’s mother. “There are days when everything that we have done so far becomes worthwhile and those days are becoming more and more plentiful now, which is fantastic. When you see the impact you are having on a family that is going through a difficult time and by bringing their pet up there to them and allowing the visits, you are just bringing a bit of normality, you're bringing a bit of fun."

The charity has two vans equipped to carry dogs. There are volunteer drivers who collect the dogs from their homes in the midlands and there is also a van based in Dublin to bring the dog from the kennels to the hospital. The vans are well equipped with cages and cushions, air conditioning and compartments for food and water to keep them comfortable and safe.

“During the journey I talk to the dog,” explained volunteer driver, Miriam Kelly. “They like to hear your voice. What I have done in the past is put on a bit of music for the dog as well. They seem to know where they are going. We can take up to three dogs at any one time.”

The charity has around forty volunteers at present, with the hope of gaining more over time.

“It’s a huge amount of effort, and they are hugely passionate, energetic people, that it has been a pleasure getting to know and work with,” said Evelyn.

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Joanne Smyth, Volunteer and Project Co-Ordinator of the charity said that she joined the team after meeting the Neary family while Cian was in Hospital with her son, Darragh, and even though didn’t have a dog while Darragh was in Hospital, they got him one soon after to help with his recovery.

“We try to make the whole process as simple as possible for the families, they fill out a very simple form, there are only about five questions on it.” said Joanne.

The charity mainly relies on sponsorship and funding and has gained funding from the Late Late Toy Show appeal of twenty thousand euro, and recently from the National Lottery after being selected in the Good Causes Awards in 2022.

“Fundraising is our other key focus at the moment, particularly as we look towards plans for phase two,” said Ms Neary. “We find it heartwarming that schools are getting involved in smaller fundraisers, everything from bake sales to wear funny socks days. When it’s people who knew Cian and they are now fundraising for a charity in his name, it’s very uplifting.”

Evelyn believes that Cian started this when he began to question the hospital staff as to why this service was not readily available to patients.

“There is a sense that he was the first person to do this, and the hospital was aware that this was having a very positive impact on him. In many respects he started it, but certainly after he passed away, we were very conscious of how much it meant to us and to Cian and that’s where the idea came from.”

Cian’s Kennels focuses on patients at CHI Crumlin, but they have also started to reach out to other care services and hospices such as the Laura Lynn Foundation.

Find out more at https://www.cianskennels.ie/