After Christine’s traumatic car accident, Jasper was exactly what she needed during her recovery

I am a strong believer that things happen for a reason. In November 2015, I was driving home on the motorway when, all of a sudden, I was involved in a horrendous accident.

An HGV collided with my car, and I was dragged side-on down the motorway. I was extremely lucky to have walked away without any broken bones. However, I suffered from PTSD and severe anxiety from the trauma.

He helped me to get out the house and overcome my anxiety

Around that time, my partner's dog had a litter of pups. From the get-go, Jasper was drawn to me and I to him – we were like magnets. I loved him so much. He’s so caring and helped me to get out the house and overcome my anxiety.

Today, he’s still my 'cuddle puppy,' and I now also have his daughter. Both of them bring so much joy to my life and I am so grateful to have them.

Mags has given both Coral and her partner a positive focus during difficult periods in their lives

Mags is our Red Fox Labrador who came to us after a relative could no longer look after her. She's a crazy little bundle of energy who brightens every single day.

She’s given us a new lease of life

I've got generalised anxiety disorder and OCD and she's helped me cope and just let go of things. My partner was also recently made redundant, but she's given him a purpose to get out of bed in the morning. She's given us both a new lease of life.

She loves stealing toilet rolls and chewing books, and she loves a bubble bath. She's so funny and energetic and just a beautiful soul. She loves everyone, including other dogs. She chases leaves and chases her tail – she’s just a bundle of joy.

Bobby fills Stephen’s days with love, laughter and endless affection

I have Rheumatoid Arthritis in most of my joints, so I struggle with mobility. My dog Bobby is a great companion for me, as I don’t get out very often. He’s so funny and full of life, he makes my days a lot more bearable.

He can also be quite mischievous

Bobby enjoys going out for walks with my wife, and he also attends doggieday carewhere he gets to play and socialise with other dogs. He’s very friendly and especially loves children, but he can also be quite mischievous. Bobby has been found guilty of digging holes in my garden, and sometimes when we have guests round, he’ll pinch the television remote so he can present it to them as a gift!

I’m so glad we have Bobby, because he brightens up our life a great deal.

With Bandit around, there’s never a dull day for Karla and her family

We'd been looking for a rescue dog for a while, but were having no luck. We eventually found Bandit through a site linked with dogs in Romania and Serbia.

Bandit was due to come to us at the end of the month. We hadn’t told our children yet, so it would be a surprise for them – though our youngest son was still afraid of cats at this point, so we were a little apprehensive at how it would all work out!

Bandit has really helped him to come out of his shell

Fast forward to a few months later, and they are the best of friends. They spend lots of time together, snuggling and playing. Bandit has really helped my son to come out of his shell.

Bandit is a great asset to our family in more ways than one and has definitely brought us closer together with all the walks we now take, though it would be nice if he stopped chewing threw his leads – I think we’re onto number 16 now!

He loves everyone and everything and is so happy to play with the other dogs in the park. He even adores our cat, but the feeling isn't mutual!

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.

When Deb and her husband were struggling to conceive, their fur baby Rufus joined the family and helped them through the toughest few years of their lives

Myself and my husband had been together since 2002. In 2008, we bought our home, and in 2009 we got married and very quickly decided we wanted to have a baby.

Little did we know, life was going to throw us a massive curve ball and our journey wasn’t going to be that simple. So, 2011-2013 came and went with no joy of a baby. We’d had a round of fertility treatment and it failed, and my mental health was taking a bashing.

Then, in March 2014, we decided to get our fur baby Rufus and he literally saved me for the next two years. He was my confidant, my best friend, my shoulder to cry on and my strength to get up every morning.

He knows everything about me – the good, the bad and the ugly

He got me through so much, and still does. He knows when I’m upset, or when I need time and hugs. He knows everything about me – the good, the bad and the ugly.

Then, in 2016, our journey as human parents finally began, and Rufus is exactly the same with his human brother. He’s by his side forever and always and loves us all unconditionally.

I share my story as I feel like we sometimes don’t give our doggos enough credit for what they do for us. Just this month we added another furry friend to our brood and, again, Rufus has taken to him so well. I’m proud of my boyo and he will forever be my first baby.