Animal magic at home on day of the dragon

Apr 12 2008 by nick lavigueur, Hudd Sat

THE tables were turned at a Holme Valley care home when animals from a nearby zoo came to visit the residents.

The unusual visitors to White Rose House, the Huddersfield Road, Thongsbridge, care home came from the Ponderosa Centre at Heckmondwike, a rural therapeutic facility designed to engage the disabled and disadvantaged with a range of interesting animals.

The day trippers from the zoo included a snake, a huge rabbit, a guinea pig and a rare bearded dragon lizard.

White Rose house activities co-ordinator, Julie Hunter, said: ‘We have visited Ponderosa Park in the past with small groups of residents and they absolutely loved the experience.

“The whole park is set up with people with mobility difficulties in mind and the residents found it very therapeutic to stroke and touch the animals and also to learn something new.

“Due to the popular interest in the visit I decided to contact Ponderosa Park to see if they would visit us and it has been a lovely afternoon and definitely a fun break from the norm.

“I hope all the residents enjoyed the experience.”

CONTACT: For more information on White Rose House call care centre manager Joanne Hempstock on 01484-690100