As long as Jennifer has Alfie by her side, she can get through anything

I got Alfie during the pandemic as I live alone and wanted some companionship. Because of all the lockdowns, I barely left the house and my mood was constantly low.

I had been saving for a dog for a while but with the prices jumping up I couldn't find any I could afford. I randomly found an advert for Alfie and managed to be the first person to get in contact – it was clearly meant to be. He has brought so much happiness into my life and is helping me to get out of the house and interacting with people again.

He has brought me so much happiness

Since getting Alfie, I have been focusing on his training, which has given me something to do while spending all this time at home. He has made such a massive difference to my mood and quality of life. I honestly don't know what I would do without him.

Lorraine wasn’t sure about getting another dog, but from the moment she saw Suzie, she’s never looked back

I wasn't the one who wanted a dog. We'd had one many years before, and it broke our hearts when she had to be put down due to illness. But when my hubby showed me a picture of this little ball of fur (Suzie is a Toy Poodle), the first hurdle was over!

We visited her and brought her home the same day. Immediately, I was under her thumb. Suzie spends most of her days with 'Dad' and greets me as though I've been away for months, not hours. She likes her walks and playing with her ball over the big fields. She loves helping around the garden and sitting on her dad's lap for a snooze and sunbathe.

She makes home life that little bit sweeter for us all

She's with me most evenings – it's almost like we’re tied together by two feet of invisible string. We play with her favourite doughnut toy, and I've found myself reading my book out loud as if she's listening! She sleeps in her upstairs bed on the floor next to me. I always have to say ‘night night’, or she won't settle down.

She also sits in front of me, does a little wave of her paws and 'talks' when she wants attention. Suzie’s a little ball of fur that makes home life that little bit sweeter for us all.

Pablo gave his owner, Traci, a reason to smile when she was feeling low

Pablo originally lived in Gran Canaria. He came over to England in November 2019 and went to live with a foster mum in Sheffield through a charity called Pet Pals GC. Around this time, our beloved border collie, Barney, had been diagnosed with aggressive lymphoma and we were told he wouldn’t make it to Christmas. We sadly lost Barney in December and our hearts were truly shattered.

I was sad, but I also I knew I had the room in my heart to look after another dog. We’ve always had big dogs, but I had recently been diagnosed with arthritis in my spine and knees, so I felt a smaller breed would better fit the bill. I came across Pablo while browsing animal charities online and arranged to go and visit him in Sheffield the following week.

As soon as I met him, I could feel my heart melting

As soon as I met him, I could feel my heart mending a little bit, as he sat straight on my lap and covered me in kisses. A couple of weeks after taking Pablo home, we went into lockdown. We’d go out for walks every day around the golf course, where Pablo loves playing in the sand bunkers.

He makes us laugh and smile every single day. I still miss my Barney boy, but my heart is now full of love again thanks to our little Spanish street dog.

When things were tough, Max helped Emma to see the sunshine in every day

Max first came to us as an emergency foster from a shelter in Spain. We immediately fell in love with him and completed the adoption process soon after.

My physical and mental wellbeing started to improve

During lockdown, I was furloughed and then made redundant. Max got us out of the house as we walked to local beauty spots every day, and I found that both my physical and mental wellbeing started to improve. Now, we enjoy travelling further afield visiting National Trust sites, nature reserves and pretty places all over Cheshire, Staffordshire and Derbyshire.

We are so lucky to have found Max and welcomed him to our family. Being out in nature on walks has made a big difference to our lives – I’m hoping to start a blog featuring all our dog-friendly walks, so others can share in the joy of dog ownership and enjoying the great outdoors.

Despite her difficult start in life, Minnie has continued to thrive ever since Debby rescued her from Romania

My little dog is such a brave star and quite deservedly has a big fan club of schoolchildren. They can't wait to gather round and fuss her when I go to our village school to collect my five-year-old grandson.

She sits like a little angel and patiently enjoys all the stroking and oohs and aahs from the boys and girls. One mum was thrilled when her little girl stroked Minnie as she usually has a terrible fear of dogs, so well done to Minnie for being so lovely!

Minnie learned to be brave as a tiny puppy as she was born at the side of a motorway and one of her siblings was actually killed by the traffic. Fortunately, Minnie and her mum were saved and taken to a rescue shelter in Romania, which was safe but rather bleak and cold.

She was born at the side of a motorway

I had been considering a rescue dog for a while and I just knew this little pup was the one for me. Once again, Minnie had to be brave as she spent three days travelling in a small crate from Romania to the UK in January. It must have been gruelling despite the love and care from the marvellous volunteers at the charity.

Since her ordeal, Minnie has blossomed into the sweet, cuddly, gentle, funny and friendly little darling that she is now. She is so funny when she is on her sock-stealing missions. She thinks she’s so clever but she just looks hilarious as she dashes away on her tiny little Queen Anne legs with a pair of socks flapping in her mouth!

She has also started spinning round and round at 100 miles an hour, trying to catch her bushy squirrel tail! And yes, she is a funny shape – a bit of a hairy sausage with stumpy legs and the fluffiest curly tail. But she is a bundle of love and the best little friend anyone could ever want.

Marion’s dogs inspired her to start a Facebook group encouraging dog owners to pick up litter – an idea which eventually evolved into the Paws on Plastic charity

My dog was a huge source of comfort when I was on long-term sick leave from my job as a primary teacher nearly four years ago. I suffered complications after having shingles and had no idea when I’d get better.

But Paddy forced me out in the fresh air and it lifted my mood. I’d been teaching Eco subjects and my dogs have always loved a plastic bottle, which is why I started noticing and picking up more litter on our walks.

Eventually, I formed a Facebook group – Paws on Plastic – and added everyone I knew who had dogs, encouraging them to pick up a few pieces of litter on their dog walks every day and share a photo of their dog. More people joined as friends were added and I started posting in other groups. It became a lovely, supportive community that really gave me a focus and extra support at a time when I really struggled.

I started this huge campaign that removes over 30 million pieces of litter every year

The group grew to over 21,000 members with followers in over 70 countries worldwide across Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We became a charity in September 2021.

I never made it back to the classroom, but I started this huge campaign that removes well over 30 million pieces of litter every year, saving lots of animals from harm and preventing plastic from entering the sea. I’m extremely grateful to my dog Paddy, my other dog Ted who joined us in 2019 and my original bottle-loving dog, Murphy, who we lost in 2015.

Paddy and Ted are gorgeous fox red Labradors. They are extremely friendly and loving, and completely inseparable. Ted is epileptic and Paddy is extremely protective of him. He adored him from the minute he arrived and is so patient with him. Ted is extremely clingy with me, always glued to my side. He’s a really sweet dog.