Dolly has come a long way to find her forever home with owner, Caroline

Dolly is a rescue dog from Merlin's Haven Rescue in Cyprus. I got her in 2020, at a time when my mental health wasn’t great, as my boyfriend had suddenly passed away.

His dad gave me some money from his pension, and since he was a lover of dogs and always tried to help the homeless, rescuing a stray dog seemed like a good way of spending it.

She’s such a lovely dog

When Dolly first arrived, she was very timid and nervous after giving birth to two litters of puppies. It took a long time for her to settle in, but she’s such a lovely dog and has given me a reason to get up in the mornings.

I spend most Saturdays on long country walks with her and my friend (sometimes my teenage daughter, too – if she's out of bed!). Dolly is now a Velcro dog, and very rarely lets me out of her sight. She’s very relaxed for most of the day, but loves walkies and squirrel chasing!

Harley has helped Rachel enormously with her mental health struggles, but he has also caused plenty of mischief with his escape tactics

Harley is a Giant Schnauzer crossed with a German Shorthaired Pointer. My husband got him when we found out I was pregnant with my third child, as I already had a six-month-old baby and I was suffering from both pre-natal and post-natal depression. Harley was my distraction and my positive ten minutes of training a day.

Our walks always get me out of the house. And on the days I don’t want to go out, he’s with me in the house with the babies! He keeps me grounded and gives me a break when I take him walking. We’ve even started mountain climbing as a family with Harley and the children.

He can flip his cage and squeeze out of the bottom!

He’s also a Houdini! I’ve never known a dog like him. I padlock his cage in two places overnight because he’s obsessed with licking the butter dish, and he can flip his cage and squeeze out of the bottom!

He’s obsessed with food, especially burgers and sausages, and he’s amazing with the children. My one-year-old will pass him DVDs off our stand one by one, and he brings them to me in his mouth and then goes back for more to play with her! He’s changed our lives so much.

Having finally recovered from her traumatic start in life, Sky is living happily ever after as part of Sue’s family

Sky came to us in June 2021. She was rescued from a shelter in Romania. As a tiny puppy, she had suffered a burn to her side and a broken back, so she was paralysed when she was found in a kill shelter. Sky was rescued by a lovely lady who ran a private shelter. She nursed her and cared for her, and gradually her mobility began to improve. We knew Sky was going to be a cheeky girl as she was housed with a litter of very young puppies in the shelter, and despite her problems, she decided she preferred their bed to her own. So, she pushed them out and moved herself in!

Sky arrived with her brother, Albert, after a two-day journey by land, and they were both incredibly frightened and anxious. But she’s developed good mobility over the last year and her confidence has improved alongside her health. Her zoomies are wonderful and so energetic, considering how she was when she first came home. She is bigger than Albert and will push him over if he has something she wants! She also takes over his bed and will eat his breakfast if she gets the chance. But Albert doesn't mind, and we make sure he doesn't miss out.

We take life at her pace

Sky loves lamb spaghetti and real meat treats best of all. She’s a very quick learner, and she knows how to catch a treat or tap with her foot. If she gets hold of a squeaky toy, she will squeak it a couple of times by jumping on it with her front feet and then howl like a wolf! She also loves hugs and sitting next to us.

We take life at Sky's pace, slowly enough to keep her safe and secure. With some brilliant expert help, she’s adapted to life with us and is a wonderful, sweet, sensitive addition to our family. We can't imagine life without Sky and Albert.

Rhiannon had never really wanted a dog before, but her life is infinitely better now Tilly is in it

At 62 years old, I got my very first dog. I didn't know I liked dogs until I met little Tilly, my Toy Poodle.

I now never have a bad day

Tilly is my unconditionally loving companion, who has ensured I now never have a bad day. She sits on my bed every morning and eagerly waits for just one of my eyes to open. Then that is officially the start of happy time.

She faceplants me with licks and hugs me between her paws. Her zest for discovery, fun and nature has given me back my purpose in life.

Four years after their first meeting, Keiba finally managed to rescue Dovah from her negligent owner and welcome her into the family

Dovah inspires me to live every day to its fullest. When she was six, I was asked to foster her for one month by her current owner who was going out of the country to study. I met Dovah once and her absolute love for life and instant desire to sit on my lap made me happily agree to help out.

One month quickly turned into six with little to no contact from her owner. By this point, myself and the cats living in the house had bonded deeply with Dovah. We were offered the chance to adopt her by the uninterested owner and, after we ecstatically agreed, the owner went back on her word and came and collected our sweet Dovah. She lived in a flat and Dovah was left for long hours daily, or sent to different dog sitters.

Dovah inspires me to live every day to its fullest

Eventually, after two years, I got the message I had always hoped for – Dovah was finally being rehomed. Right away I went to get her. By this time, we also had a second dog called Kleo. Although the cats came running to Dovah as soon as they saw her, she had returned to us with a whole host of behavioural issues. Adding to that, Kleo was in pain while waiting for surgery on her cruciate ligaments. Unfortunately, the girls would fight and we all had to work very hard to make things work out.

Fast forward to just days before Dovah’s 10th birthday and, after several surgeries for mammary cancer, she is fully bonded with Kleo in her forever home.

Despite this journey, every day Dovah gets up full of life. She loves harder, making you dedicate time in your day to cuddles and opening your heart to her. She runs out on the hill with more love for the outdoors than any dog or person I have ever met. She inspires me to live in the moment and keep my chin up.

Both Daniel and Coco have overcome hardship to be all smiles with each other

I am a serving police officer, and have been for the last five years. I recently suffered a breakup with a long-term partner and went through the torrid time of organising the separation and dividing assets. Once this was completed, I looked to adopt a stray puppy, a puppy that I could come home to and who would give a bit of companionship.

All she asks for in return is a bit of cuddling on the sofa and some attention

I found Coco online and couldn’t resist applying for her having heard how she was found hung up in a bag in a tree and just abandoned. I was successful with my application and this little bundle of fluff came into my life. She’s been so good with everything that’s been thrown at her – her training is going well, she walks on the lead nicely, she listens to commands, and all she asks for in return is a bit of cuddling on the sofa and some attention.

She is the same colours as the rugby team I play for, and is a firm club favourite whenever I play, finding herself on the sideline distracting people from the game. I’ve attached the photo that shows her favourite place in the house, a little sun trap that overlooks the street we live on, where I will always find her when she isn’t snoozing away on the sofa.