Christmas break this year was spent with my family at my parents’ beach house. We all went – my siblings, their partners & kids and my parents. Of course the dogs came too, including my puppy, Gilbert.

Although Gilbert’s an indoor dog, I knew that he’d be outside whilst we had kids around, so I brought his play pen & toys and tried to ensure he’d be as comfy as possible. However, he wasn’t himself in this environment. He was getting sad and it was hard for me to play with him. This yard wasn’t dog proof like mine and his pen was on the grass down two flights of stairs – difficult for me to access on my frame.

On the third day of our break we were sitting on the balcony after lunch when my three year old niece Lucy came running up the stairs grinning.

“Where did you go Luce?” my brother-in-law queried.

“To see Gilbert!” She pointed in the direction of his playpen on the grass and then said, “He was lonely so I put baby Ellen’s puppy from Santa in his cage!” She was chuffed by her good deed.

There was silence around the table and in unison all the adults peered down to see the brand new wooden toy sitting on the grass close to Gilbert – both in the play pen! Thankfully the leather ears were intact!

The toy was removed and disinfected but Lucy’s actions to ensure that Gilbert wasn’t lonely only reiterated to me the importance of integration and inclusion. Gilbert’s a dog. However, it’s those many people in our community who have been excluded because they have a disability or are different, who we should be worrying about. Those many people who have become so isolated and depressed. Perhaps we need to all try harder to entice them by dropping things into their environment. Gradually including them.