Between us, my husband Niko and I have more than 30 years experience working with animals. I volunteered for many years at a shelter in Athens, run by Niko and housing at one time over 200 dogs! When we moved Back to Scotland 4 years ago we wanted to continue working with animals, particularly dogs. After hearing about and researching the benefits of Canine Hydrotherapy we realised it was the perfect job for us. Many of the dogs we had coming into the shelter in Greece were badly injured and/or severely under-nourished. Our choices for rehabilitation were limited but occasionally we found the time for a trip to the sea with a few of the dogs. With very few exceptions they loved the water and those with medical problems including the many who were recovering from operations, usually from road accidents, really seemed to benefit. Of course The water was a little warmer than the sea on the Ayrshire coast! Even so, the sea or rivers are not ideal conditions as the temperatures are not steady, there can be strong tides and currents and you don't have the control over your dog that you have in the confines of a pool or treadmill. So it was that we started the very long process of converting our old stable block into a fully equipped hydrotherapy unit and I travelled the length of the country gaining all the qualifications I could find related to canine hydrotherapy. We are very proud of how the centre has turned out, it took us a long time but we wanted to create a space designed around the needs of the dogs who will be visiting us.

The centre includes a heated pool (3mx2.5m) with optional jets, internal and external split-level ramps for easy access and exit,a shower and drying area, a state of the art aquatic treadmill with optional incline and an over-head hoist for dogs with more serious mobility problems (The hoist can be used for both the pool and the treadmill).

Our plant room containing all the filteration equipment and machinery is located in a separate room in order to minimise the noise in the pool area as this can be distracting and frightening for some dogs.
 

There is also a separate office where your dog can be weighed and measured if necessary and all forms can be filled out in comfort before entering the pool area
.