I’ve wanted a dog for as long as I can remember. I aways used to get so excited when my parents would offer to look after my Grandma’s dog when she would go on holiday for the weekend; I loved the feeling of looking after them and playing with them. But we never had a dog of our own – up until two years ago.

It was just so random. One day, my Mom came home and asked whether we wanted a dog. My cousin is in charge of a rescue centre for cats and dogs and there was a King Charles Cavalier that was looking for a home after being abused – she was used as a breeding dog her whole life. I saw the picture of her and I instantly fell in love. She had these eyes that were wide and gorgeous and she looked so sweet. Fast forward a few weeks and loads of paperwork and we welcomed Luna into our home. Two years later and she is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.

It was just so random. One day, my Mom came home and asked whether we wanted a dog. My cousin is in charge of a rescue centre for cats and dogs and there was a King Charles Cavalier that was looking for a home after being abused – she was used as a breeding dog her whole life. I saw the picture of her and I instantly fell in love. She had these eyes that were wide and gorgeous and she looked so sweet. Fast forward a few weeks and loads of paperwork and we welcomed Luna into our home. Two years later and she is one of the best things that has ever happened to me.

At first, Luna was quiet and all she did was stay in her bed. It was understandable – she hadn’t been shown any love in her whole life and now here she was, in a strangers home, probably worrying if she would get abused all over again. I loved her with every ounce of my being.

At the time of writing, she is currently lying on my arm and snoring her head off and making it incredibly difficult for me to type this, but I don’t care, because I would stop the world for her.

I think the moment I realised how much she actually meant to me was when I was going through a break up last year. It was the one of the hardest times in my life and words cannot describe how down I felt; it was just awful. I wouldn’t leave the house, I had completely forgot how to look after myself and even though my parents and my best friend was there for me 24/7, Luna would always come up to me and snuggle into my arms. She knew that I was feeling like I had had enough. I remember a very specific day where I just cried into her fur. I was painting the living room walls whilst my parents and my sister had gone out, and I suddenly just burst out crying and fell to floor. I was a mess. I was in a heap, shaking and crying. And then I suddenly had a panic attack. I couldn’t breathe, I felt the walls closing in and I was going dizzy. Luna found me shaking on the floor, nuzzled herself in my chest and looked up at me. I don’t know what happened but I could suddenly breathe again. I gave her a massive hug and cried into her fur and just spoke to her about how shit I was feeling and throughout it all, she just looked at me and listened. I have never been so grateful. She probably saved my life.

Some people don’t understand how pets can do that. How they can mean so much to someone. I used to be one of those people. My best friend used to talk about her dogs and how much she loved them, but I could never really understand what she meant – until Luna came into my life.

I just – ugh – I’m getting emotional now… I really don’t know what I would do without her. She saved my life. She’s my best friend. And I really couldn’t ask for a better dog to share my life with.