A First Paw Account | What Do Our Dogs REALLY Think Of Our Therapy Dog Events?
9 June 2026
Sally’s Tale: Meet One of Moment to Paws’ Longest-Serving Therapy Dogs
15 July 2026
All the way from Eastern Europe, Karrot had an unusual start in life. While we don't know exactly how old he is, he's become a firm favourite at our Manchester therapy dog events.
His owner, Sarah, shares the story of how this lovable rescue found his forever home and discovered a talent for making people smile.
How old is Karrot?
He's about three and a half years old – we think! Karrot is originally a rescue from Cyprus. He was found living on the streets, taken to a local pound and was sadly due to be put to sleep. Thankfully, a dog rescue charity stepped in and saved him.
I applied to adopt him, and he came home to live with me. I've now had him for two years.
What breed is he?
Karrot is an unusual mix – a Beagle crossed with a Segugio Italiano, an Italian hunting dog.
I'd never heard of the breed before, but they're apparently known for being loyal and gentle. Mixed with the cheekiness of his Beagle genes, he's a real character!
Where does his name come from?
Karrot had a brother in Cyprus called Parsnip because of his colouring. As Karrot has a lovely reddish-orange coat, he was originally called Red.
Coincidentally, I already have a horse called Red, so I decided to continue the vegetable theme and renamed him Carrot. I just changed the spelling to Karrot with a K to make it a little more unique.
What made you apply to join the Moment to Paws team?
After having Karrot for literally about a week, I realised he was an incredibly confident, outgoing dog. Some people might say he's entitled, but we'll stick with confident!
Because he was a rescue, I was careful when first introducing him to new people. It quickly became obvious I didn't need to worry. He was straight in there asking everyone for strokes and attention.
He absolutely loves cuddles, thrives on human interaction and is incredibly friendly with other dogs. I knew he'd be perfect for therapy work.
I found Moment to Paws online, applied to join the team, and we've now been attending events for around 18 months.
How does Karrot find the events?
Travelling into Manchester is all part of the adventure for him.
He knows it's a work day as soon as we get to the train station. He sits on the train like a little commuter, and by the time we arrive at Piccadilly Station his tail is wagging away with excitement.
When we reach the venue, he'll have a quick play with the other therapy dogs. As soon as the first session begins though, he's completely focused on the people.
He loves sitting on people's laps. If someone is sitting cross-legged on the floor, he'll happily park himself right in the middle of their legs before moving on to the next person to share the love.
He's the ultimate professional!
What do you think of the events?
It's the best job in the world—not just for the dogs, but for us humans too.
I absolutely love seeing the happiness in the room and knowing it's your own dog creating those smiles and helping people feel better.
I also enjoy answering questions about Karrot's rescue story and helping spread the word about how amazing rescue dogs can be.
