Skip went through a lot before he was rescued, but now he’s living his best life with a new prosthetic leg and plenty of love from Carly

Skip is a rescued Spanish Galgo. We’ve had him for just over a year. He was found chained up in a derelict barn, with just bread rolls around him that he’d been eating. He was also missing the lower part of a back leg.

A charity took him on, but he was incredibly nervous and unsure around people. They think his leg had been caught in a snare trap – who knows how long he had been like that.

He walks on the new leg as if it was his own

The only options were to amputate the leg or have a prosthetic made. I’m a vet nurse and I work in canine rehabilitation, so we made the decision to try the prosthetic. It was made bespoke for Skip by an amazing company in America and he hasn’t looked back.

Now, he walks on the new leg all the time, as if it was his own. Though he’s still shy at times, he’s grown so much in confidence, and he helps us raise funds for the charity who rescued him.

Life isn’t easy for Otto or owner Sarah, but together they take on the world every single day

We got Otto when I was waiting for an operation on my eye. He gave me a reason to get up every morning. He was 10 weeks old and needed an urgent new home due to flooding and so we went and got him.

He is the best friend I could ask for

He is the best friend I could ask for. He hasn’t had the best start in life – bad breeding meant he was underweight, and we found out a few months ago that he has severe hip dysplasia and needed both his hips replacing. He had his first operation in August at 11 months old and next week will be going for his other hip replacement surgery.

Despite all of that he has been as good as gold and kept me going. I’m at high risk of Covid so have had to stay home since March and again he made it all bearable. He’s just lovely and after saving for his operations I would love to give him a treat.

Even though she hasn’t been part of Maya’s family for long, Sunny has made every day brighter since her arrival

When Sunny was born, she was the only survivor of her litter, so she’s been both a blessing and a miracle to our family.

She’s a confident ball of energy who enjoys nothing more than digging, jumping over anything in sight and climbing trees (yes, she climbs trees). When she isn’t doing that, she’s exploring new sights and smells.

Sunny had her first experience on a beach in Whitby recently. Then a week later, it was her first time in knee-deep snow. She loves a visit to a café for a doggy ice cream or two, while she curiously watches her fellow dog pals.

Sunny has brought so much joy to our lives, and she gives us a reason to carry on when times get tough. We have big plans for our girl to live out a full life with us, and we’ll never stop adventuring.

She gives us a reason to carry on when times get tough

Millie is everything to Sharon – she gets her out the house, helps her feel safe and steals her socks for good measure

Millie has a very important job to do, which is making me go out on a walk every day. It doesn't matter if it’s raining and cold, or if I'm tired and in pain, Millie needs her walk, and it never fails to make me feel better. Her inbuilt home security system has also enabled me to feel safe and secure in my own home – she may be small, but her bark is mighty!

Welcoming Millie into my life has been the best decision I've ever made

Millie is the ultimate companion dog. She’s affectionate, loves snuggles and enjoys human company. Playing with her and teaching her new tricks keeps us both entertained. I am constantly amazed at how clever she is, and her intelligence means I am always learning new things about dog training.

Millie is also the best stealth sock and loo roll thief in the South West, so there’s never a dull moment with her around. Welcoming Millie into my life has been the best decision I've ever made.

Mika came into Diane’s life with various behavioural issues due to her difficult past, but now she’s finally living the life she deserves

Mika is a rescue dog. After we lost our last dog, I felt I needed someone else to cuddle. My husband said we were too old for a puppy, so we went to the RSPCA.

The kennels opened and out came a few dogs all barking ‘TAKE ME, TAKE ME’, except for one who was looking and sniffing, without barking. ‘That’s the one’, I said.

We were told she was used to kill badgers as a job. She wasn’t a pet, so she’d had no interaction with people, no affection, and she’d been trained not to bark as that could have alerted the badgers. She has a tattoo in her ear related to the organisation she belonged to. She also has a split tongue and a few teeth missing.

She’s become very loving and sleeps by my side

Mika had various problems that we’ve overcome. For instance, she had no fear of other dogs, however huge they were, and used to take balls from their mouths. She wasn’t affectionate, and she was very difficult to feed. In fact, she would sometimes go a day or more without food, so we had to visit the vet every week to get her weight taken.

Now, she’s become very loving and sleeps by my side. She walks so close to me, I could almost fall over her. We changed her diet, so she’s put on weight, but she still doesn’t get on with other dogs if she’s on a lead. We’ve have had her for seven years now – it’s been a bit scary at times, but well worth it.

Yvonne can’t believe how much Pablo has transformed her daughter’s life

My five-year-old daughter, Macy, is registered as Severely Sight Impaired (blind).She has a life-limiting genetic condition called Alstrom Syndrome and has been matched with Pablo by the Guide Dogs charity.

Pablo has helped improve Macy’s confidence

He is her Buddy Dog and has improved her life immeasurably. Buddy Dogs are pups that have been bred by Guide Dogs but couldn’t continue on the training programme. They are then given the opportunity to help a visually impaired child.

Pablo has helped improve Macy’s confidence, given her more independence, and provides her with the constant companionship she needs. They’re totally inseparable, and with him by her side, she can be more active and playful.