Therapy Dog Wins Award for Helping Mom Through Childbirth: ‘She Makes Every Day Easier’

A 2-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier recently became the first dog to be allowed on a maternity ward in a U.K. hospital

Amee Tomkins of Milton Keynes, England, has always had a special bond with her 2-year-old dog Belle. But when she became pregnant, her beloved Staffordshire bull terrier stepped up in more ways than one.

“I have anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder and I’m autistic, so sometimes I find things very overwhelming," says Tomkins, 34. "I have a lot of sensory issues so noises can make me a little upset. Belle has been trained to pick up on my mood and she knows if I’m about to have a panic attack and will get me out of there.”

During her pregnancy, Tomkins’ anxiety was at all-time high as she was diagnosed with the excessive vomiting condition hyperemesis gravidarum, developed gallstones and had pancreatitis.

“I needed constant care and was one step away from intensive care, but [Belle] stayed with me," Tomkins says.

Even before Tomkins discovered she was pregnant, Belle just seemed to sense it, her owner shares.

“I noticed she was following me around more than usual, she was being really clingy and laying over my tummy a lot, she would not leave my side," Tomkins recalls. "I ended up doing a pregnancy test, and it showed I was pregnant.”

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Fast track to April 19, 2023, and after a series of assessments, Belle was allowed inside the hospital where Tomkins was having her planned c-section.

“She was the first dog allowed on Milton Keynes hospital’s labor ward,” Tomkins says, adding, “She was there waiting for me — I was trying to get her to jump onto the bed but she wouldn’t because she could sense I had had surgery."

When Tomkins posted an adorable picture of Belle pushing Olly out of hospital on her social media, it caught the attention of local media outlets.

Tomkins' local vet nominated Belle for Vets Now's Pet of the Year 2023 award, which she ultimately won.

“She’s used to pushing the supermarket trolley for me, so I stepped back to see if she would push the pram and she did," the new mom shares. "She’s never been near a baby before but she’s taken to it brilliantly, as have my other two dogs.”

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When she’s not busy accompanying Tomkins and Olly to baby classes or volunteering at the local primary school, Belle continues to help the family with day-to-day tasks such as pressing the buttons on the elevator and opening doors. But it’s boosting Tomkins' confidence that has been appreciated the most.

“Without Belle I wouldn’t be able to go and meet my friends for coffee or go to baby classes," Tomkins says. "She has helped me find my voice and I couldn’t be without her now.”

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