Ned’s visual impairment hasn’t stopped him from being a wonderful friend to Lindsay – as well as a fantastic worker

This is Ned, our English springer spaniel. He lost his sight in one eye shortly after he was born due to a detached retina, but it doesn’t stop him from being a brilliant working dog, a great big brother to 18-month-old Flo the springer, and the best companion to our two children.

We wouldn’t be without him

Ned loves exploring new places with his partners in crime by his side. He’s a loyal, loving, high energy bundle of fun. We wouldn’t be without him!

Even when the sun isn’t shining, life seems a little brighter when Julia sees Mango clowning around.

Mango has made life in lockdown so much more enjoyable. She loves playing in the garden and is a very fast runner! When there is hot weather, Mango loves jumping around in the water from the hose. She also loves playing with ice cubes filled with treats.

She has been such a loving companion while we work from home

We love her cute snoring and clown-like behaviour. She has been such a loving companion while we work from home. She loves nothing more than playing with other dogs, her food (which she munches down in seconds!) and playing with squeaky toys. We love you Mango – you might be a bit of a clown, but we wouldn’t change a thing!

Sian was so convinced Sonny was the one for her that she travelled 1,000 miles to bring him home

Sonny is such a character, I'm not sure where to begin. We did a 1,000-mile round trip to get him! After leaving Shetland, the most northerly island in Scotland, we travelled 14 hours overnight on a ferry and then drove all the way from Aberdeen to Herefordshire on the Welsh/English border.

We did a 1,000-mile round trip to get him!

After picking him up, we spent a night in Blackpool and drove all the way back up, staying at dog-friendly services by Kendall and getting back on the boat for another night to get him home. All in the heat of 2017 summer – it was 34°C on the day we picked him up!

I could have gotten a dog closer to home, but I knew he was the one. I'd previously worked with his owner (a veterinary surgeon) and his mother was the best Labrador I'd ever met – well-behaved, loving and smiled on command!

Ivy has helped Izzy love life again, whether it’s taking on new adventures or simply cuddling up in bed

Ivy in nature is a wild plant that winds its way, gripping onto surfaces it comes into contact with. My Ivy dog is dependable and perseverant, always beside me on my journey, entangled in each other’s lives just like the plant.

Arriving when I had lost all hope, in the depths of mental illness crisis, her dependable companionship provided me with the reassurance and safety I was so desperately seeking. She has helped me feel grounded through continued distress from mental ill health, a constant physical reminder that she needs me.

Sitting cosy in bed sharing some marmalade on toast before we start the day is one of her favourites

She looks back up at me constantly checking in, a calming influence. She aided my return, and her introduction to being active, living and loving outdoor adventures. Biking, paddling, walking, climbing, she’ll go where I go and I feel I’ve lost something when she’s not there. We look out for one another, swimming rapids to help each other.

Having PTSD often means that nights can be filled with colourful lifelike dreams. Ivy sleeps touching me, often a nose or paw in the face as she wriggles to be comfy. Her presence and understanding comforts me. We share many special moments but sitting cosy in bed sharing some marmalade on toast before we start the day is one of her favourites.

She not only helps me but is a companion and presence within a special needs school that we work at together. Ivy is just 16 months of age, but her maturity keeps her steady in temperament and character. I look forward to many more adventures together in the future.

Zoe’s dog Kes makes the world a happier place with his assistance skills and infectious happiness

Kes is my little hearing dog-in-training. I got him just eight days after I sent off my last trainee as a fully qualified assistance dog, and boy did he arrive with a bang! He’s a gorgeous chocolate Cocker with big, innocent eyes, but don’t let that fool you – really, he’s a crazy bundle of energy who keeps me on my toes every day.

He’s also a notorious sock thief

From the minute he wakes me up to the moment he goes to bed he’s causing mischief. He’s also a notorious sock thief. Kes will take them off the airer, radiator or even out of the washing machine as I unload it! He also adores being in the water, whether that means swimming, river splashing, jumping in muddy puddles or even just dipping his nose in his water bowl.

Kes is the friendliest dog alive. When you come downstairs or through the front door, he greets you like you’ve been gone forever. It’s adorable, the way he starts wiggling and wagging his tail with excitement. His love for life is contagious. I’ve never met a happier, crazier dog and I think the world of him. I just wish I could bottle up his energy and drink some!

As a nurse working on the front line, Joanne has her work cut out for her, but her dog Rodney is always there to lift her spirits at the end of a long day.

My Golden Retriever, Rodney, is one in a million. Although he’s nine years old, he acts like he’s only nine months old. He still loves going for a run and adores a swim in the sea – he also loves a quick dunk in a muddy puddle!

A wagging tail and a smiling face

As an A&E nurse working through the Covid-19 pandemic, Rodney has really supported me. Every day when I get home from the end of a shift he’s there, with a wagging tail and a smiling face.

Some people have kept their distance since finding out where I work, but Rodney has stayed with me, lying on my knee and always keeping me company whenever I’m around him.