When Pixie’s previous owners put her up for adoption, it was love at first sight for Janice and her husband

We found Pixie from an advert on Facebook. Her owners were looking for someone to take her as they had a new baby. When my husband phoned, they said he’d be in a queue with 12 others, but we could go and meet her. As soon as we walked in, we fell in love with her. We also understood why they wanted to rehome her, as the baby wouldn't leave Pixie alone and kept pulling her ears and tail. They also already had another massive dog and two cats.

At the end of our meeting, they said they wanted us to have her. After making sure our home was suitable, they told us they needed to have her spayed as they didn't want her used for puppy money. We agreed, so they let us have her over the weekend to see what she was like with us. She was brilliant and made no mess at all.

As soon as we walked in, we fell in love with her

After her operation, they kept her at their house to keep an eye on her. I was so worried that we wouldn't have her back, but after two days they said we could go and pick her up. She had a neck shield on, but she was okay, and we brought her home.

She settled in brilliantly, but did come with some issues. She doesn’t eat her food straight away, and if we give her a treat, she goes under the table to eat it. She had a dog crate in her last home, so I think she spent a lot of time in there to escape from their other dog. But now she comes everywhere with us, and we don't leave her on her own for one minute. She’s so loving and gentle and I wouldn't be without her.

After a turbulent start in life, Chubbs finally found a home when Vicki and her family came to visit his rescue centre

Chubbs is a black and white rescue dog, a Staffy Collie cross, who originally hailed from Ireland. His Mum was a stray, who was taken into MADRA, with a litter of eight puppies in August 2019.

Chubbs was originally rehomed to a lovely family but sadly their circumstances changed and a few months later they had to give him back. He was then transferred to Birmingham Dogs Home in Wolverhampton for rehoming in the UK, and his siblings went to homes in Galway, the Midlands and Dublin.

Our daughter works at BDH Wolverhampton and we’d spent a long time deciding whether getting a dog was right for us. One day we went to visit her at work and the rest, as they say, is history!

He’s made our world complete

There was this beautiful floof of a pup, sat looking goofy in his window. We walked past him several times and each time he caught our eye. We looked at lots of residents that day, but it was Chubbs that tugged our heartstrings the most. So, a week later, we drove home with our new family member.

I was intrigued to know more about him, and through the power of Facebook, I was also able to trace some of his siblings. We still exchange messages with their owners today!

He was called Chubbs as a pup, and though we toyed with other names, it didn’t seem quite right to change. He’s VERY food oriented, and as I always say, ‘Chubbs by name and nature’.

I said that Chubbs is a ‘rescue’, but what I didn’t make clear is that he also rescued us. He’s brought so much love and happiness into our lives. We now have a purpose – a reason to get up, a reason to go out in all weathers, a reason to explore new dog-friendly places and a reason to rush home as soon as we can for more love, fun and adventure. He’s made our world complete.

Alfie never fails to amaze Alice with his unwavering positivity, despite all he’s been through

Alfie is a 13-year-old Jack Russell and Yorkshire Terrier cross. He’s a ball of energy and positivity despite facing some health challenges. After beating testicular cancer and managing a heart murmur with medication, he still loves to play with his toys and go for short walks.

He never fails to bring a smile to my face

He brings so much joy to my life and he’s a constant reminder of the power of perseverance and happiness, even in tough times. His playful and affectionate nature makes him a pleasure to be around, and he never fails to bring a smile to my face.

He may not be able to run as fast as he used to, but that doesn't stop him from living life to the full every day. Whether snuggling up for a nap, playing with his toys, or just enjoying a quiet stroll, he’s always by my side, spreading love and joy wherever he goes.

Laura couldn’t wait to get her first dog, and as soon as she saw Buddy she knew it was meant to be.

Earlier this year my partner and I moved into our own home, and I couldn’t wait to rescue a furry friend to join us. I am a massive dog lover and was never allowed one as a child. We searched local dog homes for months to no avail, the dogs were always reserved. I was then informed about a charity which rescues street dogs from Cyprus. The first picture I saw on their Facebook page was Buddy! It was love at first sight – his eyes just capture your heart.

His eyes just capture your heart

When he arrived in the UK he was very nervous, but such a sweetie who just wanted to be loved. A few months down the line and I couldn’t imagine life without him! He is my best friend, making each day brighter. You would never know he had a hard start to life. He’s so friendly and gentle (he’s never even barked) and makes friends wherever he goes! He also loves going on adventures, especially the beach.

Though Sarah struggled to socialise Austin during lockdown, that’s never stopped him from wanting to be everyone’s best friend

Austin came into our lives two years after I lost my heart dog, Freedom, to heart failure. I was apprehensive about getting another dog, but the house felt empty without one. So, we decided to change breed to a Lhasa Apso and found a wonderful breeder.

Austin was a lockdown puppy, so we struggled to socialise him. But we tried to get out to as many car boots as possible. As a result, he now knows what ‘car boot’ means and often sits behind the car on Saturday mornings barking to go out!

He may be tiny, but he’s made a huge impression on us!

He loves people. If someone is following us up the road on his walk, he has to stop and wait for them to say hi. His favourite people are children and elderly women – preferably on mobility scooters! The sound of the motor gets him really excited, and he likes to sit on their step.

He is such a character and will definitely tell you when he’s not happy about something. But all he wants to do is play, cuddle and meet his adoring public. He also loves camping in our trailer tent, where he’ll sit outside for hours watching the world go by and trying to attract people over for fusses.

His best friends in the whole world are our pair of guinea pigs, Mousse and Hamilton. He likes sharing their grass biscuits, getting in their cage and napping with them. He may be tiny, but Austin has made a huge impression on us!

Though Nikka has lost her sight, Julie is constantly amazed by her fearless approach to life

Nikka is a 10-year-old yellow Labrador. We’ve had her in our family for three years, as her last owner passed away. She’s since developed cataracts and she’s now completely blind. My other Labrador, Bentley, also 10, is very protective of her, and they are great friends.

Despite her lack of sight, Nikka is so fearless. She has marvellous senses and is ball crazy. She listens for the bounce and then sets off to find it. Nothing stops her. If you let her off the lead, she sets off with no hesitation.

We have set words like ‘up’ for a step or pavement and ‘tree’. She has bad arthritis in her front paws, and they must be painful, but she never shows it.

Nikka knows that I’ll always be there for her, and she follows me everywhere. People are amazed at her resilience. She’s such a happy girl, with her tail always wagging. Both Nikka and Bentley are my world, but Nikka is my brave, loving girl.

People are amazed at her resilience