Now her racing days are over, Maggie is enjoying her life as a therapy dog and a beloved member of Richard’s family

Maggie made our lives complete when we adopted her from Greyhound Trust West Wales. She’s an ex-racer and was very timid and nervous of men at first. She’s settled with us really well, and now works as a therapy hound for Greyhound Rescue Wales. She visits students in colleges and universities in South Wales, where she enjoys lots of attention and treats.

We strive to give her the loving family life she so deserves

She’s very aloof and a bit of a diva. But she’s absolutely gorgeous, and always turns heads in the pub – which she loves visiting! She also loves going for walks and then crashing out on our comfy sofa or bed until it’s her mealtime.

Maggie’s very partial to chicken and cooked broccoli and, of course, the occasional treat. We like to think that Maggie has fully adopted us too, and we strive to give her the loving family life she so deserves.

Emily overcame a traumatic start in life to find the perfect home with Abby and her husband

Emily is a very affectionate little soul, which is quite remarkable considering how she started life. She was found left for dead in the middle of nowhere and was malnourished to a tiny 10kg. With thanks to the RSPCA, she got to a proper weight for a lurcher and now she gets spoilt rotten at home!

Her faith in humanity, after everything she has been through, gives me hope

Her faith in humanity, after everything she has been through, gives me hope. I'll never get tired of her pretty little face or her chaotic whippet-sized zoomies around the garden. She's helped me make human friends and made my husband and I more active. Not to mention, she convinced us to rescue another mistreated lurcher!

Katie and her family were struggling with Freddy’s behavioural issues until Frank the pug came into their lives

Six months ago, we rehomed Freddy, a five-month-old Husky cross. He was a kind, funny bundle of energy. A month or so after his arrival, we started to notice some strange behaviours. And, after months of back and forth with vets and behaviourists, it was established that Fred suffered from a stress disorder, verging on PTSD.

With lots of work, Fred has been improving day by day, but the one thing that didn’t change was his distress when other dogs walked away from him or didn’t interact.

I work closely with a rescue centre in my job. They asked if we’d try fostering as it would help us with Fred, while also helping an unwell pug who wasn’t happy in rescue. We went over with Fred and took them both for a walk in the forest. Frank, the pug, was pretty tolerant of Fred’s manic leaping and pawing – he just waggled his little bottom and carried on.

Instantly it was like they understood one another

Frank moved in and instantly it was like they understood one another. Frank was due to have BOAS surgery so his breathing was awful, and quite hard to listen to. Fred’s yelping in the car ended almost instantly and instead he would lean against the wall of Frank’s crate, and Frank would lean back onto him.

Fred is still erratic at times, but Frank has totally changed him and our famiy life. He’s 10 days post BOAS surgery now and is the happiest, most loving boy. As both are rescues, we cannot ever imagine how someone chose to abandon either of them.

I think it’s important for people to see that dogs which require more work are also more rewarding. Everything we achieve with Fred or Frank leaves us full of pride. The boys are the very best of friends and we’re so glad we took the leap into changing Frank from our foster dog to Fred’s big (or little) brother.

The two happiest, kindest, oddest pair of dogs in the world, but the best match!

Maggie has introduced Christine to a beautiful new way of living

Maggie is the first dog I’ve ever owned (and I’m 63 years old).

We got her three years ago and she’s changed my life so much. I cannot believe how much I love her!

She's funny, demanding and affectionate

She's funny, demanding and affectionate. We go on cottage holidays to Wales now instead of overseas holidays. And because of her, I’m enjoying nature and the simplicity of life in a whole new way.

Before she was rescued, Miri’s weight was severely affecting her health, but that all changed with a little TLC from Jean

Rescue dog Miri is a Miniature Dachshund, who belied that title when she came to me two years ago through Dachshund Rescue UK. Weighing in at a whopping 12.5kg, she was anything but miniature in stature. She could barely walk, her chest and belly were dragging on the ground, she couldn't lift her head up high, and her breathing was under strain.

She’s living proof that change can happen, with the right love and care

Skip forward two years and Miri is a svelte 5.1kg. As her size has diminished, her confidence has just grown and grown. She adores cuddles and attention, which she laps up from the residents when I visit my mum in her care home, bringing a huge smile to the faces of those who indulge her.

At the hockey club, she has become the club mascot, and a real inspiration for those who have followed her journey. She’s living proof that change can happen, with the right love and care

Looking after Molly hasn’t always been easy, but Nicola has nothing but unconditional love for her

Molly came into our life a year ago and changed it forever. My husband and I had been volunteering at a lovely dog rescue charity called SHAK, where Molly was a favourite. She had been living there for three years and had already had four homes before she came to us.

She is a Husky Akita cross who suffers from separation anxiety alongside reactivity to other dogs, so she isn’t the most easygoing dog in the world. That doesn’t stop her from being really caring and affectionate though, and she absolutely adores people.

She absolutely adores people

When she first came home, she found it quite difficult to adjust. My husband had to sleep downstairs with her every night because she was so anxious. But now, a year later, she is so much better. She still has her anxieties, but that’s what makes her who she is and we wouldn’t change her for the world.

Molly comes with us whenever we volunteer at SHAK to visit all of her old friends and spread some hope. We couldn’t love her anymore.