Welcome to Pet Corner
It’s official, our animals are amazing! Thank you for sharing your photos and stories, here are the stars of the show…
“I have a buddy dog Luna, who I got two months ago. She has made our family complete and now can’t imagine life without her. She had a bumpy start to her guide dog life so then became a buddy dog and we are now her forever home. When I go out and come back home she is there waiting for me excited to see me. The photo above is the look of love we already have.”
Image description: Emma and Luna looking at each other in a tent.
Emma Amos, age 14 and Buddy Dog Luna
“In lockdown I got a puppy, my brother Francis is training him to be a buddy dog for me. I love him because he stays close to me and I can feed him and stroke him. He touches my hands with his nose so I can find him. His name is Stanley. He likes picking raspberries with me. We go to puppy classes and he is very clever he can do lots of things like sit, paws on, touch and lie down.”
Image description: Stanley standing up on his back paws reaching up to the raspberry bush!
Kristiahn Marjoram, age 4 and Buddy Dog Stanley
“My best friend Cole he’s 2. I love been around him, he makes sure that I am okay he waits for me to go to bed. When I take him out he likes to walk behind my wheelchair to make sure I am safe. When I get back home from been anywhere he comes to greet me straight away. It was his birthday in the picture, I made him some dog friendly cup cakes.”
Image description: Megan sitting in her kitchen with Cole (who looks the colour of coal, dark grey) reaching up to her lap.
Megan Dunwell , age 10 and Cole
“My Guide Dog, Honey is more than just a Guide Dog helping me with my independence as a young person but is also my best friend. In just 12 months she has transformed my life, given me more confidence and independence, as well comforting me during Lockdown and everything that has happened because of it – Missing my last day of Y11 (leavers assembly, shirt signing, saying goodbye to friends and teachers and school prom), as well as not seeing others apart from immediate family. (Though as always, she was by my side for my Lockdown Prom at home). Having her by my side has made me smile every single day, no matter what. I’d be lost without her.”
Image descriptions: 1 Honey with her head on Caitlin’s lap in the car; 2 Caitlin and Honey lying on the lounge rug having a hug; 3 Megan in a turquoise prom dress standing in her driveway with honey.
Caitlin Leigh, age 16 and Guide Dog Honey
“Guide Dog – she gives the best cuddles. she chases me on my bike too.”
Image description: Dexter on his balance bike holding his dog’s lead.
Dexter Ward, age 5
“As you can see from the photo, my Guide Dog Sparky is a real character. He is so special to me as he makes me happy all day starting with a noisy yawn as he wakes up, encouraging me to walk every day all weather and saying goodnight with a comforting wet nose!”
Image description: Sparky with his mouth open and ears blowing in the wind in front of a coastal view.
Harriet Smith and Guide Dog Sparky
“My cat Mae has had many narrow escapes since we got her, first she had a fight with another cat and survived, then she got hit by a car and survived. Ever since I was 5 years old, I had wanted a cat but we eventually got one four months after my 12th birthday. We got her from a cat rescue centre. The cat was called Lady Mae but we call her Mae. We picked her because she was a little cat and she was very timid. For quite some time she was very shy but now is sociable with us and wants my attention. She meows and nudges me when she wants to be stroked or fed. She has a very quiet purr!”
Image description: Mae curled up on a cushion having a nap.
Jacob Tidcombe, age 16 and Mae the Cat
* Prize draw winner *
“This is my Granddad’s dog Wilma and I love her because she is always so excited to see me and loves to chase Sydney (my cane) Wilma is always happy.”
Image description: Wilma – a black and white dog, looking at the camera in a cheeky way with a tennis ball in her mouth!
Eilidh Johnstone, age 13 and Wilma
Roseanne Fish and her Guide Dog
* Prize draw winner *
Image description: Rosy is stroking her black guide dog in a pretty courtyard wearing her VICTA t-shirt.
“We have a new addition to our family called Raisin. I have a new friend he is quite big but a gentle giant. He is a buddy dog from Guide Dogs and I am so lucky to have been matched with him. He will help me be independent and I am so proud of him.”
Elliot Fuller, age 13
“this this is my pet goat called Dobby. She is called Dobby because her ears are so floppy they remind me of the house elf from Harry Potter. Dobby is very cheeky and always trying to escape to eat apple trees.”
Laura Buchanan and pet goat Dobby
“We have been fostering a retired Guide Dog since May, and then two weeks ago, we decided to adopt her because we fell in love with her! She is called Isla, she is 9 years old and is a Labrador/Golden Retriever. She is special because she really likes attention, and loves cuddles even more than food! Before we decided to adopt her, one evening, she was really excited all of a sudden and then was running around and going crazy, and tried to get up onto the sofa as well, in between my sister and I, and she’s not allowed on the sofa, although it was a very funny thing to see!
Even though she’s not my guide dog, somehow she still recognises that I am blind as well. When I walk her on the lead, she basically takes me around poles and lamp posts and stuff, even though I’m using my cane.
In the very beginning stages of having Isla, my sister found it hard getting into school in the mornings and she was allowed to take Isla in as well! Isla was really well behaved, and really helped my sister!
Since she is MUCH bigger than our other dog, our other dog gets bowled over by her, which doesn’t seem to faze her at all. She has a big strong tail which sometimes knocks over the cupboard door in our living room.
The funniest thing about her is that when I am sitting on the sofa, she comes over, and lays on her back and gets quite excited down there. I rub her belly when this happens.”
Image descriptions: 1 Isla looking at the camera in her bed, Lucas out walking with Isla, Lucas standing with Isla and Isla running out of the sea with a tennis ball in her mouth.
Lucas Murray, age 18 and retired Guide Dog Isla
