Rocco provided Taryn with the love and support she needed to get back on her feet.

Shortly after Rocco was gifted to me as a Valentine’s Day present, I underwent major knee surgery, resulting in me having to learn to walk again rather than devoting my full attention to my puppy. As I regained my mobility, Rocco was a vital part of my recovery, providing unconditional love and support along with companionship when I was back on my feet.

Rocco was a vital part of my recovery

Earlier this year, as a personal challenge I committed to walking 100,000 steps in seven days for charity. It doesn’t sound like a lot but it was incredibly challenging for me to do, and my hound was with me every step of the way. He joined in the early morning walks when he would prefer to be snoozing in bed, he trotted alongside me each lunchtime delaying his set time for dog biscuits, and he continued with me every evening exploring each new location I took him to. At the end of the week, I had done 4000 extra steps and Rocco had earned consecutive exercise badges on his doggy fitness tracker attached to his collar.

Mandy adores the way Orrin takes care of everyone around him

Orrin is my rock. I suffer from panic attacks and whenever I feel one coming on, he’s always there to ground me until I have it under control. He’s also a blood donor and has saved many lives over the years. My dog is so compassionate, he’ll care for anyone who needs him.

One night, we were called to the vets as they needed blood urgently. When we arrived they were very busy, so we sat quietly in a corner and waited. We saw a distressed lady come in with her ill dog. The nurses all rushed to the dog and left the lady alone, so Orrin went up to her and quietly put his head in her lap until she calmed down a little. He came back over to me eventually, but I could tell he was keeping his eye on her the whole time.

He’ll care for anyone who needs him

A little while later, the same thing happened with someone else and again, Orrin made it his mission to make sure they were ok. Everyone in the vets soon started to realise what he was doing and some of the staff even had tears in their eyes.

After he gave blood, he refused to leave until we’d checked on the two people he’d helped. Orrin truly is my very special boy.

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.

Kirsty didn’t anticipate how much work it would be to take care of Buster – but more importantly, she could never have dreamed of the positive influence he would bring into her life.

We got Buster from a breeder when he was just nine months old. The breeder didn’t warn us of how nervous Buster gets around new dogs and new situations. Being the first time I have looked after a dog on my own this was quite overwhelming but I didn’t want to give up on Buster as he has such a kind heart and so much love to give. He just needed the right guidance in certain situations.

Since we adopted Buster we have worked so hard with him and a trainer to start to get him more confident in these situations. I expected to work hard and I expected there to be highs and lows – but what I never expected was how much I would learn from Buster.

Has taught me patience and perseverance

Buster has taught me patience and perseverance in his training. He has taught me to accept flaws and love unconditionally. Most importantly, he has taught me to take everything one step at a time and to be happy and celebrate the small accomplishments.

Busters favourite thing to do is to play fetch and train with his toys. He is very toy-motivated and will do pretty much anything for a tennis ball! When he’s is at home, he spends his days sitting at the window watching the squirrels or on his back snoozing on the sofa. He absolutely loves human attention and is a sucker for a belly rub!

Buster really is a special dog. He was much more than I bargained for and requires lots of work, but I don’t think I could imagine a world without him anymore. We tackle problems together, and it’s so rewarding watching him overcome his fears.

Katie know Nim was the dog for her when she was only a four-week-old pup, and since then she’s only continued to prove her right

Nim has only been in my life for 11 months, but I met her on the day she was born. And when she tried to drink some of my gin at four weeks old, I knew that was it – we were best friends for life.

She is the happiest and most trusting little spaniel. She loves a beach walk and digging holes, often barking and growling as she digs as she gets cross when the sand falls back in! She also loves an open field where she leaps like a gazelle through long grass.

My life has never felt more fulfilled

She adores all of the people in her life, and she likes to round everyone up and keep them together. When visiting my mum and dad (her grandparents), she won’t settle down to relax until we’re all squashed onto the same sofa. Otherwise, she spends all night swapping from seat to seat and glaring at whoever dares to sit elsewhere.

She is consistently the reason I get up in the morning, and the reason I travel around the country to visit beautiful places that I think she deserves to see. I work very hard to provide the life for her that she deserves, and my life has never felt more fulfilled than it has since the day she came home.

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.