When Monkey isn’t competing in shows with Diana, he’s spreading cheer to those who need it most

Named after his love for climbing trees, Monkey enriches my life as well as the lives of many others.

The change he makes to my life is remarkable

We volunteer with Therapy Dogs Nationwide where he brings joy to people in a dementia home, school and prison – all of which are places where the comfort of a dog can brighten difficult days.

The change he makes to my own life is remarkable, too. He loves agility, so we compete in shows. I’m a pensioner but it provides me with a great social life as well as a reason to stay fit and active!

Sabina’s husband didn’t want a dog, but then Buckley came into their lives and changed everything for the better

After many years of begging my husband for a dog, he finally relented. He always said if we were to get a dog, it would have to be a Jack Russell. I didn't argue! Buckley was like a wrecking ball. He moved in and stole our hearts.

I'm still working full time and my husband is retired. Little did I know what my boys were up to while I was at work. Now, thanks to my dearest husband, Buckley will only eat if he's fed with a fork! When his food is in his bowl, he’ll nudge one of us until we get up and feed him. If we ignore him, he gives us a pretend nip and vocally argues until we feed him. I was furious with my husband, but alas, what’s done is done.

Buckley has brought so much love and fun to our lives. He’s a very active doggy and goes out on adventures four or five times a day. He loves riding in my car and will push his nose out of the window for some fresh air – while strapped to his booster seat, of course.

Buckley also loves the ladies. In fact, he can be very amorous, to the point where most female dogs will run away while he's left howling like a wolf. He also loves mucky puddles, and he’s a regular snorkeler. He blows bubbles in the puddles, then tries to catch them while I stand in the rain, wet through.

I’m a nurse and the last three years have been extremely stressful. I also lost my dad in April last year and was unable to attend the funeral. Buckley has really helped me and my family through these rough times. No matter what I'm feeling on any given day, coming home to him makes everything better. I truly believe he was meant to be ours! And I wouldn't change him for the world.

Coming home to him makes everything better

Throughout all of Ellie’s suffering Amber was right there beside her, providing her with the emotional support she needed to keep fighting.

My Cockapoo Amber has helped me to stay positive through the toughest times of my life. She came into our family when I was 16 and first started experiencing symptoms of my illness. She was only eight weeks old and quickly became my best friend, as I had to leave school and my life as I knew it began to fall apart.

It was almost two years later I was diagnosed with a life-limiting illness that left me housebound, in constant pain and extremely weak. At my lowest, Amber was the only thing that kept me going and the only thing that would make me smile. Whenever I got upset she would lick my tears away and stay by my side and when I was really unwell, she would scratch and cry at my door or do whatever she could to be with me. She was a constant source of comfort and made me feel so safe and less lonely.

She would lick away my tears

When nurses would come to visit me at home, they would always comment that Amber was always so close to me but she also instinctively knew when she needed to give me and the nurses space (although she was never too far away). They would often tell me that they’d always say they we’re going to see ‘Ellie and Amber’ because she never left my side. I’d spend months in hospital, and she would come and visit me. Having a cuddle and seeing her happy face was a massive boost. My heart would feel lighter whenever she would visit.

Without Amber I wouldn’t be here today. Last year I had surgery that thankfully gave me a second chance at life. I only got to that point because I wanted so desperately to take her for long walks or play with her in the garden again, she’s mad about tennis balls and loves to play fetch. The idea of giving her a happy life and repaying her for all the years of happiness she gave me when I needed it most kept me going. She still supports me when I have bad days but now I take advantage of every opportunity I can to be with her and do something fun.

I honestly don’t think words can really describe just how much I love her and what she means to me, but when I was a little girl I would dream about having a dog like her and I feel so lucky to have her in my life.

Despite Lulu’s barking, shedding and laziness, Rob and his family couldn’t imagine life without her

This is Lulu. We got her from a rescue centre a few years ago after she'd clearly had quite a rough time with a breeder who'd definitely over-bred her. She just looked so sad when we saw her, and the kids fell in love with her on the first meeting.

She thinks she's a lot smaller than she is

We'd vowed to get a small to medium-sized dog, and she is NOT that! She's lazy as hell, she sheds everywhere, she barks too much for no reason, she has the most evil farts and she’s now a bit incontinent, but we love her to bits.

We even love it when she climbs up on the sofa between us, when there clearly isn't enough room for her. She thinks she's a lot smaller than she is, bless her!

When Dawn adopted her rescue dog Katsi, Rapha was great at helping her adjust to life in a happy home

My Rapha is a very well-behaved Cockapoo. He’s also my therapist who has helped me through the toughest times!

Fifteen months ago, I decided to rescue my other dog, Katsi. She’d been chained up and had three pups with her, who are all also in good homes now. I saw the advert on Facebook but wasn’t interested in the pups, as Rapha was already six and it’s a big age gap! I knew he would be better with an adult dog, and long story short, he welcomed her with open paws, even though she was terrified at first. Now, they’re besties and share my bed with mutual respect for each other.

Rapha is kind even though he’s been attacked several times. The last time was nasty, as both dogs were on lead and the other owner got dragged over to us – she couldn’t stop her very large dog! Now, he’s understandably cautious of other dogs when he’s on his lead, so he growls a little. Off lead, there’s no problem. He’s just a friendly, loving little boy who loves life.

He’s just a friendly, loving little boy who loves life

I love walking and so do Rapha and Katsi. We often go on walking holidays together. Rapha loves a café or pub on our walks. He’ll drag me in if he thinks it’s time for a snack. At home, when I’ve been out, he runs up to greet me with a shoe, toy or even his bed in his mouth as a gift and he wiggles so much. He’ll panic if he can’t find something to give me!

He’s loving, caring, and a loyal best friend to both me and Katsi. He’s definitely shown her how to be a pet and how to play. We’re working on trust still, but we’re getting there. She trusts him, me and a handful of other people. She also looks to him for guidance as he’s a great role model.

He doesn’t like to wear a coat when it’s wet and will sit and refuse to move until it’s removed. In lockdown, my daughter started making dog accessories to fill the time, and he was the model! He really is a first-class dog in every way.

Victoria gave Ozzy a new home last year, and he’s making each and every day count

Ozzy was surrendered to the vet practice I worked in at 10 months old and needed to be given a second chance. I was hoping to get my first dog since moving out of my family home in summer 2023, but I agreed to take Ozzy on in August 2022 (a year earlier!) and have never looked back.

He is the most intelligent (although he does very often fall off the bed in the middle of the night!), friendly and loving dog I have ever met. He loves coming with me to look after my horse every morning and evening, goes on long walks to lots of different places, and he even went stand up paddle boarding with me the first weekend I had him.

His favourite place to go is the beach, he LOVES going for a swim, a long walk and then finishing with a doggy ice cream. His equal favourite place is in the bed, and at 3am every morning he creeps up from the end of the bed and cuddles up in between me and his dad underneath the duvet. I am new to the county I currently live in, so it has been great fun exploring the countryside with Oz by my side. Our little rescue pup has given us endless fun and I can’t wait for the years ahead with him.

He even went stand up paddle boarding with me the first weekend I had him