Emma’s brain condition makes everyday tasks difficult, but Luna always helps her out when she needs it

I’ve had Luna since she was eight weeks old. Even though she’s been a crazy one from the start, she’s also been a godsend for me. I have a brain condition that affects me daily, and it also means I struggle with my back. I have more bad days than good, and Luna has noticed this as she has got older.

She’s been a godsend for me

I think because I’m the only one who walks and feeds her, we have a very strong bond. If she sees me struggling to get up when I’m in pain, she’ll come and grab the cuff of whatever I'm wearing and pull me up. If I'm having to walk slow when we’re out, she’ll walk slowly by my side.

Sometimes if I'm having a bad moment of sleepiness and have to lean on something, Luna will come over and nudge me from behind or appear beneath me and stand up to help me up. I know when she’s just being a playful pup, but I can also tell when she’s being genuinely caring and trying to help me.

Coll came into Michelle’s life when she needed a furry companion the most

We rescued Coll from our local animal shelter almost six years ago. When we got him, I was at a low point, having just lost my dad and undergone surgery. I wasn’t able to work, and I was struggling with feelings of boredom and depression.

Coll came into our lives just at the right time

Coll came into our lives at just the right time. He gave us a reason to get up and out every day. He motivates us and makes us laugh, and we’re so very proud of how far he’s come since we adopted him. It’s not always been easy but he’s a quick learner who’s eager to please, and always gives us lots of cuddles. Coll is our best friend who we love unconditionally.

Dougie is the dog that Carol has always wanted, and together, they have endless adventures and hours of fun

I’d wanted a puppy for as long as I could remember, but it was never the right time for me to get one. Then one day, Dougie the rescue dog bounded into my life, and the rest is history.

He was actually six years old when I first met him, but his playful nature made it feel as though he was a lot younger. He really is a dream, because I get to enjoy all the good parts about having an energetic dog, without the work of looking after a young puppy!

It’s been so lovely to watch how happy he’s become

Dougie was pretty stressed when we first brought him home, but he’s settled in well over time. He had never been taken out much before, and so we got to do a lot of ‘firsts’ with him. So far, we’ve taken him to the beach, the river, on holiday and even on a boat. It’s been so lovely to watch how happy he’s become.

His favourite place is by far the beach. He enjoys nothing more than rolling around in the sand, so much so that we’ve even got him his own sandpit to play in at home. He’s not so sure about water and tends to sit and bark at the sea – though I think he’s making progress, and I’m sure that soon he’ll want to splash around and go for a paddle.

As laidback and low maintenance as they come, Lulu the Maltese has fitted perfectly into Caroline and her partner’s busy lives

Our Maltese, Lulu, brings us such joy every day. We both work long hours as a chef and housekeeper, and Lulu is happy to wait for us in our flat, sleeping during the day or quietly entertaining herself with all her toys.

She loves to lie at the top of our staircase, waiting for us to climb to the top to and rub her stomach before she stretches awake. She even has her own mini staircase to climb onto our sofa and our bed at night. She insists on sleeping right at the top of the bed in between the two of us, and never wakes up before we do.

She just likes being with us

We both suffer from allergies and don’t have always have time to take her for very long walks, but we chose her breed as she’s hypoallergenic and very happy with just a short walk and play. She doesn’t often need to be entertained and never really demands attention. She just likes being with us, and we love having her to cuddle and laugh with. She’s always in a good mood!

We always plan our day off around her and she always comes with us on car journeys around the UK during our holidays. She loves an adventure, but also loves to lie down and do nothing sometimes, too.

Even when Alyson’s illness stopped her from going outside, she was never truly alone thanks to Dru

Dru was a rescue dog. Like so many, she had a sad beginning and was frightened of the world around her. It took her a while to trust us, and she still will only eat if we are with her, so she feels safe.

In 2019, I became very unwell and Dru changed. She was a lot more cuddly and spent a lot of time with me, even though she usually prefers the men in the house. It turned out I was VERY ill. So, just before the world went into lockdown, I had to have a kidney removed and a course of treatment for cancer.

I believe angels don't have wings, they have a tail and a wet nose

I wasn’t allowed to go anywhere as I was so unwell and vulnerable, and no one else could come in. I spent so much time indoors, only seeing outside through windows. But Dru never left my side, except for her twice daily walks and the odd wee break, or to bark at anyone that seemed to come too near her mum. I suffered badly both physically and mentally but bit by bit I got stronger, largely thanks to my husband and my girl Dru.

When I was allowed out, I didn't want to leave as I'd been shut away for so long. One day Dru was getting ready for her walk with my husband, and he said, ‘should we take mum?’ Dru ran up to me and sat down unmoving, waiting for me. It was only a small walk, but it was as much a part of my recovery as any medication.

We all know how wonderful dogs are, but sometimes I believe angels don't have wings, they have a tail and a wet nose.

When Paula bought a miniature schnauzer for her daughter, she never expected to find out that ‘he’ was in fact a female dog – now known as Sadie

My daughter, Eve, had been on a campaign to get a dog since she was two years old. Every birthday or Christmas when we asked what she would like for a present, she always replied ‘a dog’.

At age 13, she said if we didn’t get one before she was 14 we could forget it as she’d get one when she left home. This made us realise that we had no good reason not to get one. So, for Christmas that year, we bought Eve a lead and dog bowl to show our commitment, and the day after Boxing Day we had a little mini schnauzer called Freddie.

She has us all wrapped around her little paw

After a few days, the breeder rang us to ask if we’d been to the vet (we had, and the vet said he hadn’t ‘dropped’ yet) and then asked for the puppy back as ‘he’ was a girl who someone wanted to breed from! Of course, now we were completely besotted with her so couldn’t part with her.

Sadie is small but mighty and makes her gentle presence felt – she has us all wrapped around her little paw. She makes us laugh, melts our hearts every day and has been the best thing we’ve ever done as a family.