Twig never leaves Lotte’s side and has even helped her reconnect with her nan, who’s suffering from the debilitating effects of dementia

Last year, my nan’s dementia got a lot worse, and I felt like I had lost her behind the fog and confusion of the disease. She no longer remembered my name, she was scared and erratic and it was impossible to have a conversation with her.

Then I took Twig to see her. My nan’s face lit up as Twig bounded towards her, she opened her arms and yelled ‘TWIG!’ She remembered her! We could talk about Twig and stroke her together and it calmed and grounded my nan. Twig was like a portal, bringing a little fragment of my nan back to me.

Twig is the kindest and most warm-hearted dog I have ever met

Twig has been my rock, best friend and soulmate since I collected her from a little farm in Wales two years ago. We are inseparable. She comes out with the horses to gallop on the beach, we go on adventures up mountains, and she even comes to work with me at the vets. She’s not only the face of the practice (her photos are literally all over the walls!), but also a calm and comforting presence for other dogs who are in for surgery.

She has also helped raise an abandoned kitten that was brought into the vets close to death. Twig kept her warm and brought her back to life. It was adorable to see, you can’t make this stuff up!

Twig is the kindest and most warm-hearted dog I have ever met. She is also a true character and people just fall in love with her. When I am sad or anxious, she distracts and comforts me. She always knows what to do to.

And talk about a poser! If a camera comes out, Twig understands the assignment. But then again, it would be a crime for her not to share her beauty with the world!

Ruth’s dog Lazlo has helped to bring her family even closer together

When Lazlo came into our life, we had not long adopted our children. He helped them to understand that we were their forever family.

A while later, when I temporarily lost sight in one eye, Lazlo was my loyal companion. He guided me until I was better, always looking out for me to make sure I was ok. He’s such a calming influence and adapts so well to any situation.

Lazlo was my loyal companion

He fits in perfectly with our family and looks after his furry companions as much as his human ones. He has two sister cats, Flossie and Raven, two house rabbits called Harley and Quinn, and this year, he even got a new sister puppy, Lyra.

Lazlo is so protective of us all that he can sometimes get quite ‘barky’ when anyone new approaches us. He may be a dog, but he’s got the heart of a lion!

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.

Ever since Scout’s life was saved as a puppy, Tracey has been working hard to put that kindness back out into the world

I didn’t know how much I needed Scout until he crash-landed (literally) into my arms as a puppy. Abandoned on the streets and left to fend for himself, he was eventually picked up and taken to a pound. He was emaciated, suffering from mange and kennel cough, and believed to be both blind and deaf, so they thought it might be kinder to put him to sleep. After all, who would want a puppy with so many problems?

Luckily, thanks to the heroic efforts of three amazing rescue organisations, Scout’s life was saved. We were lucky enough to adopt him a short time later and he turned our world upside down. Although he’s not deaf, he’s completely blind, but this hasn’t held him back in the slightest. He climbs mountains, paddles in the sea and runs freely with his canine pals.

Throughout Scout’s life, we’ve been on a mission to repay the kindness that was shown to him as a puppy. For instance, he’s been a much-loved therapy dog, visiting a local dementia care home to spread joy and love. He’s also the adopted mascot for a local community carers café.

Over the years, Scout has helped to raise thousands of pounds for a local dog rescue, attending meet and greets, street collections, and lending a paw on tombola stalls. During lockdown, he managed to raise £500 by fronting an online dog show. He’s also attended Crufts several times, supporting anti-puppy farming campaigns, and even helping to launch a charity foundation.

Scout gave me my life back. After my first dog was tragically killed by another dog on a walk, I developed severe anxiety about walking outside, but owning Scout made me strong. I’m his eyes, so he needs me to be confident and unafraid, and keep him safe. Out and about, he always puts a smile on people’s faces with his quirky high-stepping gait – a result of his blindness. Scout is my inspiration, my hero and my best friend.

He always puts a smile on people’s faces

Sarah knows she can always rely on her loyal friend Rembrandt to keep her out of harm’s way

I'm disabled and suffer from sudden falls and vertigo. From a very early age, Rembrandt has been my constant companion. My partner is the one who walks him, trains him and plays boisterous games with him, but it's me Rembrandt sticks with like glue.

It’s me he sticks with like glue

On the occasions when I've had a fall, he’s sat with me until help has arrived and is super attentive, almost like he's making sure that I'm ok. Of course, like any Labrador puppy, he loves playing and enjoys a game of ‘splashy splashy’ in his paddling pool when it’s warm, as well as playing fetch with his older brother Peewee.

Rembrandt is such a character. He’ll devour anything that’s edible, and even some things that aren’t, including the sofa cushions and the skirting board! Both of his parents are search dogs, so when we can, we’ll enroll him into puppy school where he’ll learn to be a great sniffer dog.

Molly and Poppy are happy helpers for school chaplain Alison, and the pupils love them too

I have two border collie dogs: Poppy (who is 11years old) and Molly (8 months). Molly was a lockdown rescue pup when her owners bought her then decided not to have her! I am a Chaplain in a school and take both dogs in with me every day.

Poppy and Molly deserve a treat!

They are great pastoral assistants! Poppy is a big teddy bear who loves to be hugged, Molly is a mischief and allows some of our ‘naughtier’ children to relate to her! We’ve worked all the way through the lockdown and Poppy and Molly deserve a treat!