Rescue pup Holly has come a long way since meeting owner Jill – and the best is yet to come

We were devastated by the loss of our previous dog last December, but in February we spotted Holly on a RSPCA website.

At seven months old she had never lived in a home and was very nervous. She was challenging at first, but very loving.

Holly has won over plenty of new friends

Holly has changed our lives, giving us a reason to get up in the morning and exercise regularly.

She’s energetic and fun-loving, but still a little shy when it comes to meeting new people and is occasionally spooked by new experiences.

Holly has won over plenty of new friends in the village, as they’ve witnessed her grow from a timid pup to a lovely, confident dog. We are looking forward to sharing many happy years with her!

Seero may be small in size, but he’s made a big impact on Ashleigh and her fiancé

In February 2020, my fiancé and I were looking to adopt a shelter/rescue dog. We live in an upstairs apartment so wanted a small dog. None of the shelters around us had any though, so we took to searching through Facebook.

Adopting Seero was the best decision we’ve ever made

My partner came across an appeal for a little black dog in Cyprus. He had four separate posts from the charity hoping someone would take an interest in this little boy, but nobody seemed to. That broke our hearts – he looked absolutely perfect to us and we fell in love with the photos of him. We thought it would never happen. How would we get him to North East Scotland from Cyprus? I messaged the shelter's page to enquire. A week later we were picking Seero up from a drop-off point in Glasgow. We couldn't believe our luck.

I've had a horrible year due to poor health and being unable to work for the time being, and Seero has definitely saved me – and my partner – more than we saved him. Waking up to his little face, a wagging tail and big kisses has been amazing. He really seems happy now. His eyes were once sad, but now they’re full of love. Adopting Seero was the best decision we've ever made. I would advise everyone to consider adopting.

Amy and her dog Alfie have both faced their own difficulties in life, but now they can always rely on each other for support

My dog Alfie (aka Alfred, Alfie Moo, Moose or Moosey) is my best friend. I was approached by a rescue service who desperately needed an urgent foster for him. After a month, I knew we had the most amazing bond, so I adopted him.

At the time I was getting my life back together after a tricky couple of years and Alfie became such a massive part of that journey. When the country went into lockdown and I was living away from my family, I was so glad to have him with me!

I feel so honoured that I can give him a loving home

He's still a nervous dog, but he's so clever and I feel so honoured that I can give him a loving home. He never lets me lie in, and he insists on walkies first thing in the morning, even on a day off! That is unless it’s raining, when he quickly turns back round for home.

He's grown to trust and love my parents and partner. He's also the biggest cheese fiend and can smell it from a mile away. While he doesn't like the car, he always enjoys our adventures out and about.

I'm proud I get to come home to Moose every day. I don't know what he went through before he came to me (and I don't want to know), but he's an inspiration!

Ruby and her dog Tony are total opposites – and that makes them the perfect companions

Tony, a scruffy little Brussels Griffon pup, has completely changed my life since I brought him home four months ago. As a visibly physically disabled person, I was always aware of people looking at me when I was out and about, but now it's Tony who gets all the attention – which both he and I love!

He brings a smile to my face

He's given me a reason to get up and out in the morning. He brings a smile to my face every time I look at him, even when he appears with my shoes, socks or even my coat in his mouth, and I cannot imagine life without him.

He's a real 'Velcro' dog and I wouldn't have him anywhere other than right by my side – even when his chosen sleeping place at night is on my head!

Not only has Freud supported Maria with her own mental health, but he’s now doing the same thing for her psychotherapy clients

I got Freud whilst studying to become a psychotherapist – we were studying Freud at the time. I have bipolar, so from a very young age Freud would support me if I felt low or had a panic attack by snuggling into me. He’s now a registered emotional support dog and comes with me when I see clients from ages 5-18 years old.

He’s a registered emotional support dog

Freud is half Pomeranian and half Chihuahua. He’s full of energy, but also knows when to be calm and cuddly. He loves other people, children and animals and lives with his bunny rabbit brother and sister, Brody and Brienne, who are free to roam my house 24/7. Freud loves them and is really gentle with them, but he does pinch their broccoli in the morning.

Freud loves to come kayaking with us and is a little poser in front of the camera. He has posed for local college students and was amazing at it. Freud has made such a positive impact on my life and now he's doing the same thing for my clients. I can't imagine life without him – he's a little star.

Nemo had a tough start in life, but he’s happy as Larry with owner Margaret

Nemo is the light and heart of our family. He hasn't had it easy as he was a rescue dog. He was so untrusting and agitated when he came home, but now he's so trusting, loving and playful.

It's very hard to think of a time when we hadn't got Nemo. He's still like a puppy – he greets us every time we leave him even if it’s for one minute. He's also a fantastic guard dog as whenever anyone rings the doorbell they back off. It’s quite funny really seeing a big burly delivery man running to the top of the driveway!

It's very hard to think of a time when we hadn't got Nemo

I'm disabled myself and Nemo is at my side when I really need him. His instincts are spot on. My heart bleeds for him as I think about what his life was like before. He is our rock as he makes our lives much richer and he lights up the whole house with his zoomies round the garden, his barking at the doorbell (realistically the only time he barks), the way he plays with his toys with love and hugs and the occasional tugging of the stuffing.

I could go on forever praising him but I think I've said enough for now. So Nemo thank you for making our lives so glorious and I hope he has a safe and restful life with us because he's certainly made a huge difference to ours.