Meet BB

Meet BB

2025 NZ Top Dog with a Job finalist

2025 NZ Top Dog with a Job finalist

Meet BB

Breed: Flat Coat Retriever

Barking from: Christchurch

Job Title: Hospital dog

What's up dog?

BB visits the St John paramedics for their mental health and wellbeing. She visits the Paediatric Outpatients at Christchurch Hospital and sits with children having their treatments. In the school holidays she goes to Christchurch Airport (under the PAWS programme which is run in conjunction with the St John programme) to be there for nervous flyers and stressed passengers. BB loves fundraising for the St John, SPCA, Heart Foundation and Westpac Helicopter paramedic street appeals and has raised thousands of dollars for these charities. Her newest roll is at a Senior Day Centre, where she snuggles and cuddles with the elderly folk and reminds them of their much loved pooches of the past. BB is a very gentle soul with a heart of gold. She relates to the tiny babies at the hospital, right through to the 90 plus age group. She knows how much to lean on folk she encounters, as she gives them the therapy that may not even realise they need - until they do!!! She is well known in our town and has the privilege of being invited into shops so that staff and the public can interact with her. People who class themselves as NOT dog people are attracted to her and she seems to know just how to react with them. For a 3 year old canine, she is one in a million and never ceases to amaze me what she has done for the community.

With her St John Therapy Pet uniform bandana comfortably in place and her 'happy' wagging tail pumping more than enough power to propel her into work mode, she is always ready to be out the door for the next adventure. Being a 4 year old flat coat retriever with 3 years of working experience BB (short for Black Beauty) has no trouble spinning her therapeutic web across the community, bringing joy to everyone she encounters. Whether she is at Christchurch Airport snuggling and cuddling with nervous flyers or at Paediatric Outpatients distracting children who are having IV treatment or blood tests, nothing is too hard for her to deal with. While visiting a Senior Day Centre at Kaiapoi, the guests love to reminisce about their own canine pets while playing with BB's soft ears. Her weekly visits to the Rangiora (and sometimes Amberley) St John paramedics is her happy place, with the crews roughing her up. Often there will be a First Aid class in progress at the station, and the tutors invite her in to hear about her role as a therapy dog, and rest assured BB will give each person therapy in turn, whether they need it or not, never missing anyone out. Another weekly gig for BB is going to school with a 9 year old girl who has anxiety, so BB is a great support to her in class.

When the student doctors and polytech students are sitting exams, BB, along with several other St John Therapy dogs will be invited to spend time with them in a relaxed environment. The highlight of BB's career was being on live TV as the Promotion Pooch for the SPCA's 2024 calendar and fundraising in the process. During the summer BB's diary fills up with fundraising for St John at the various A&P shows and fairs, in and around the Canterbury region, such a fun place for a dog to engage with people and convince them to part with the weight of the coins in their pockets. Not only does BB also fundraise for St John during their annual appeal in June, but she also does it for the Heart Foundations, SPCA's and Westpac Helicopter's annual appeals. To ensure BB's schedule runs smoothly she has employed the services of one staff member (unpaid) for grooming, chauffeuring, checking her emails and keeping her diary up to date, walking, play time activities and a lap to crash out on in the evening. BB is one in a million, a dog who never stopsSo proud of my girl.

2025 NZ Top Dog with a Job Award

Judging and criteria

Purpose

This award recognises a working dog that goes above and beyond to make a positive impact in the lives of others. Whether supporting people or fellow animals, this dog’s daily efforts help improve wellbeing, provide support, or create meaningful change in their community.


Reach

Does your dog make a difference in the life of one individual, or do they support an entire group, workplace, or community? Tell us who they help and how far their support reaches.


Impact

What kind of impact does your dog have in their role? Share how they’ve enhanced wellbeing, supported mental health, or improved the lives of those around them