Dog sitting helping stressed and isolated Bristol students

Alice Johnstone-Burt said dog sitting gave her a reason to "get out more and socialise"

University students say dog sitting has "massively boosted" their mental health and wellbeing while living away from home.

Alice Johnstone-Burt started during her final year of studying wildlife and ecology at the University of the West of England in Bristol.

The 23-year-old said the experience helped her cope with the "overwhelming stress" of deadlines and dissertations.

"It gave me something fun and wholesome to look forward to," she added.

Ms Johnstone-Burt said she started dog sitting because she missed her own pets at home, and to force herself "to get out more and socialise".

"It can feel quite isolating being at university," she said. "Living away from home for the first time, missing your family and pets, and having assignments pile up.

"[Dog sitting] made me feel more settled."

Daniel Fryer, a psychotherapist who specialises in animal assisted therapy, said there is "tons of science" behind the mental health benefits of looking after dogs.

"The love hormone oxytocin is released when you stroke dogs," he said.

"It significantly lowers your blood pressure, your heart rate, and it improves your immune system functioning."

Mr Fryer said his dog would instantly relax patients and encourage them to "open up"

Mr Fryer worked at the Priory Mental Health Hospital in Bristol, where he would visit patients three days a week, accompanied by his Staffordshire bull terrier Lara.

"She was like a Mexican wave of joy throughout the hospital that preceded us," he said.

"The feedback was overwhelmingly positive, it made a huge difference to people.

"Dogs are very non-judgmental, so it's great interacting with something that just likes you for being you.

"Obviously there's the exercise benefits of having a dog and they're an antidote to loneliness, so the physical and mental health benefits of dogs are numerous."

Lara Middleton said dog sitting gave her a sense of structure and responsibility

Lara Middleton, 20, from Basingstoke, started dog sitting in November, shortly after beginning her studies at the University of Bristol.

"I found it was quite hard to come up with excuses to leave the flat if it wasn't for university classes, or a night out," she said.

"I grew up in the countryside so I missed going out and about."

Ms Middleton began looking after a rescue dog called Phoenix once a week, with whom she quickly formed a "special bond".

"Just before Easter I had four essays due in the same week and I still made time to see Phoenix, because I knew how much it would benefit me," she said.

"There's no point staying inside studying for a whole day, when you can have a quick break that'll give you that massive boost.

"It stopped me going stir crazy, and definitely had a positive effect on my mental health."

Rikke Rosenlund launched the platform in 2012

Both students got into dog sitting by signing-up with BorrowMyDoggy - an online platform that connects owners with local borrowers who will take care of their dog for free.

It was founded in 2012 by Rikke Rosenlund who came up with the idea after spending the day with a friend's Labrador.

"I just remember thinking, why are people spending so much money on dog walkers and kennels, or leaving the dog home alone, when I would love to take care of a dog for free," she said.

"There were loads of students and young professionals who just missed having a dog in their life.

"When people leave home and move to university, I think a lot of them underestimate how much they will miss that bond."