Therapy dog Holly is the newest team member at Cork's Marymount Hospice

Therapy dog Holly has been introduced this week as the newest team member at Cork’s Marymount Hospice — and its first task, along with providing comfort and happiness to patients, is to invite supporters to buy car raffle tickets to help raise funds to continue the facility’s valuable work.

The first prize in the raffle is a Toyota Yaris Cross Hybrid, worth €33,000, which is being offered in partnership with Cogans Toyota Carrigaline. Tickets cost €10 and are now on sale for the draw, which is taking place on Valentine’s Day next year.

Enid Conway, fundraising and marketing manager at Marymount, described Holly as “a fantastic ambassador” for the car raffle.

“She really embodies how special the care provided at Marymount is,” said Enid.

Holly’s owner, Tony Mootoo, who is the quality risk manager at Marymount University Hospital and Hospice, said he already had seen the positive impact following Holly’s arrival.

“She went up to the palliative care wards, a lot of these people have had their own dogs, so to see a dog coming in is immediately a lift,” said Tony.