Visitors to a monthly friendship group at The Basin Community House are forming bonds with animals as well as humans.
Council has awarded a Minor Grant to support four visits this year by wellbeing dog organisation, The Unconditional Love Foundation.
"Through the power of the human-animal bond, the friendly wellbeing dogs create social connections through an easy topic of conversation," the Foundation's Leah Munnery says. "They bring joy, laughter and comfort, especially to those who may not have a pet at home."
House member and former manager Maureen McLaughlin says evidence shows that interacting with companion animals brings feelings of happiness and calm.
"There's so much evidence now to show that feelings of loneliness and unhappiness contribute not only to the deterioration of mental health but it also has a huge impact on physical health," she says.
"When you pat an animal - if you feel comfortable patting the animal - feelings of calm and chemical changes occur within someone's body. Dogs do respond with unconditional love."
The funding supports visits this year to the House's friendship and morning tea group, which mostly attracts people aged over 65.
Members of the friendship group have been inspired to make toys from discarded fabric to give to dogs at animal shelters.
"It's so important to connect with other people and this program is open to anybody of any age," Maureen says.
"Loneliness can have such a big impact on people's lives. Volunteering at the house or learning new skills or just coming along to one of our social activities - or any other neighbourhood house in Knox - increases feelings of wellbeing and makes a difference to people's lives. To some, it's a life-changing difference."
Find your closest community or neighbourhood house or centre:
The Basin Community House, 21 Liverpool Road, The Basin
Community Learning Centre, 40 Fulham Road, Rowville
Coonara Community House, 22 Willow Road, Upper Ferntree Gully
Mountain District Learning Centre, 13-15 The Avenue, Ferntree Gully
Orana Neighbourhood House, 62 Coleman Road, Wantirna South
