Gordon has suffered tremendous loss. And though nothing will ever truly ease the pain, Border Collie Bobby has been his rock.

I lost my daughter 11 years ago on 12 June 2009 and Bobby came into my life four years later. I already had a wonderful black and white Border Collie called Sky who sadly passed away due to sarcoma cancer. After losing my daughter, I felt I needed another companion to compliment the companionship of my Border Collie Sky.

He has bought untold joy into my life

Bobby is such a loving, intelligent character. He has bought untold joy into my life and helps me get through difficult periods such as the anniversary of my daughter’s passing and her birthday. I can always rely on Bobby's loving nature to help me through difficult times.

He loves to lick everyone’s ears and is everyone's friend. He really enjoys our walks and retrieving the ball. Bobby is constantly by my side and brings so much joy into my life. I love him dearly. He's part of our family. Bobby really could do with some recognition because of what he has done for me. I'm extremely proud of him.

Julia loves Alfie for many reasons, but she’s particularly proud of how he looks after her daughter, Jessamy.

Alfred is adored by our whole family, but he’s a real support dog to our eldest daughter Jessamy, who is a young adult with Autism. He seems to intuitively sense how she’s feeling, and always responds accordingly. He’s always so fun and loves to play with her – he even acts as her personal trainer, getting her to enjoy spending time outdoors.

He seems to intuitively sense how she’s feeling

He loves to sit on sofas and chairs and when we are at the table for a family meal, he thinks that he too should be given a seat, just so he can sit with us! We couldn’t ask for a more loyal and loving companion.

After years of living as a stray in Cyprus, Zola has finally found her forever home with Annabel, and now she’s blossoming into the dog she was always meant to be

I adopted Zola, a German Shorthaired Pointer, on 2nd May this year. She was found as a stray in Cyprus, rescued and looked after in a shelter for about two months until she was well enough to travel to the UK.

She has settled really well in the time she has been here, and I have just started very basic training with her as she was completely untrained. She has definitely come out of her shy, anxious shell and is showing her cheeky, funny, very affectionate character. She is a puppy in a 9-year-old body as she's probably never enjoyed a puppyhood before.

Adopting a neglected, abandoned dog is one of the most rewarding things I’ve done

She loves anything fluffy, especially if she's not supposed to have it, like my slippers and the dog coats I’m knitting for rescue shelters, for example. She pokes her nose in any open drawer or cupboard and loves to grab and run – she is particularly drawn to silicone baking containers for some bizarre reason.

Zola is starting to bond with our other two adopted German Shorthaired Pointers, 9-year-old Baxter and 12-year-old Danny, who’s also a Cyprus rescue. She loves food, food and more food, playing with toys, stealing Danny's tennis balls and doing anything naughty.

She makes me laugh every day and drives me demented from running around saving items from being chewed, but gives me so much love in return. Adopting a neglected, abandoned dog and giving them a loving forever home is one of the most rewarding things I’ve done, and seeing them blossom into the dogs they should have always been is priceless.

After being told that Lola would be too difficult to train, Alannah proved everyone wrong by transforming her into a fully qualified performer

I adopted Lola nine years ago. She was rescued from an Irish puppy farm. Now, she is 11/12 and I adore her.

When I was meeting with the adoption charity, they said I wouldn’t be able to do much with her as she was a beagle. But Lola is now more qualified than I am. She competed at flyball and currently holds the most points for a beagle in the UK. She has completed her Gold Kennel Club. She has certificates for scent detection, tracking and man trailing, but her best skills are tricks. She loves to perform!

She’s more qualified than I am

Lola is totally motivated by food. She will often tell me when she deserves a treat when we are out. She also loves to wrap up under the duvet and at least two blankets. She adores people, especially my dad. This can be embarrassing due to the noise she makes when she sees him, and afterwards she’ll wee with excitement.

Lola is awesome. She has supported me through so much and knows many of my secrets. My relationship broke down just before the pandemic and having Lola made things better.

Nymeria has been through a lot, but Tabitha is in constant awe of how she takes everything in her stride

I’ve had Nym since she was just a puppy, and since then she has remained closely by my side. When she was younger, I taught her lots of tricks such as rolling, walking on her hind legs and pirouetting. She has got me through many tough times with her calm demeanour and cosy cuddles.

She very quickly grasped how to live with her blindness

In early 2020, Nym went suddenly and completely blind. She started running into things and became much more nervous. Fortunately, she’s a sweet and trusting dog, so she very quickly grasped how to live with her blindness, learning new words such as ‘careful’ and ‘step’. Now she’s used to navigating using her sense of smell and hearing and has even memorised the layout of the house as well as our regular walking routes, so she can get around with confidence.

I love my dog just as much now as the day I got her. I wouldn't change her for the world.

If Neville was ever in trouble, Scooby would break down any barrier to be by his side.

My dog Scooby is a cross between a Jack Russell and a Schnauzer. He’s now eight years old. When I and my now departed wife went to the farm with our daughter, he was the last puppy left all alone in a barn. He was just too lovable to be left on his own.

He was just too lovable

He is a very friendly boy and always looks for attention. I am 69 and currently in isolation with an underlying health condition. I had to go to the hospital at the end of March and the poor little soul didn’t know what was going on – he broke through the fence looking for me! My son-in-law went looking for him and I got a call from the person who had caught him. Luckily, I came home that night and we were reunited.

I also have a Husky (Mia), a kitten (Tommy) and a budgie (Clyde). They all get on with each other, which is a blessing in the current climate!