Dr Tiny Tilly Joins Ealing Hospital's Pets as Therapy Team
Cavapoo brings comfort to patients on busy wards
Acute medical consultant Dr Sajini Wijetilleka with Tiny Tilly
October 12, 2026
A new four-legged visitor has begun making rounds at Ealing Hospital, and staff say she is already proving to be a calming presence on busy wards. Tiny Tilly, a four-year-old Cavapoo, has recently qualified as a Pets as Therapy (PAT) dog and now accompanies her owner, acute medical consultant Dr Sajini Wijetilleka, on visits to meet patients and colleagues.
“She loves coming into hospital and patients really enjoy interacting with her,” Dr Wijetilleka said. Tilly completed her PAT assessment earlier this year, a process designed to ensure therapy dogs are calm, sociable and able to cope with the unpredictable environment of a hospital ward.
Dr Wijetilleka had seen the impact of therapy dogs in her previous role, where PAT teams visited twice a week. “People loved it,” she said. “I decided once I had a dog it would be nice to bring them into Ealing and Northwick Park.”
Tilly follows in the paw prints of her mother, Roo, who is also a PAT dog. She even has her own Instagram account, @doctortilly, documenting her hospital visits and the reactions she receives.
Tilly’s arrival comes as more NHS trusts recognise the value of therapy animals in clinical settings. Pets as Therapy, founded in 1983, is a national charity that coordinates trained volunteers and their animals to visit hospitals, care homes, schools and hospices. The charity’s work is grounded in a growing body of evidence showing that interaction with animals can reduce anxiety, lower blood pressure, ease loneliness and improve communication — particularly for patients who may be withdrawn, distressed or facing long stays in hospital.
In NHS hospitals, PAT dogs are typically used in wards where emotional wellbeing is a key part of recovery: older adult care, mental health units, rehabilitation wards and paediatrics. Some trusts also invite therapy dogs into staff wellbeing spaces, recognising the pressures faced by frontline workers.
Visits are carefully managed. PAT dogs must pass temperament tests, be comfortable with noise and medical equipment, and be able to remain calm around strangers. Infection control teams approve routes and contact protocols, ensuring visits are safe for patients and animals alike.
While therapy dogs cannot enter certain clinical areas, such as intensive care or operating theatres, they are increasingly welcomed in general wards, waiting areas and staff rooms. Many hospitals report that therapy animals help reduce stress, encourage social interaction and provide moments of normality in otherwise clinical environments.
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