Pets are an important member of any family and are also credited with improving your mental health. Lorraine Kelly, the proud owner of her adorable pooch Angus, is a big believer in this and has opened up about her little border terrier helped her, particularly during the lockdown.
Read her first-person account below which she's contributed to our Mental Health Digital Issue, guest-edited by Scarlett Moffatt.
WATCH: Lorraine Kelly reveals how her pet dog Angus helps her mental health
I honestly don't know how I would have coped through these tough times without my four-year-old border terrier Angus. All through lockdown, he woke up with me around 5am and waved me off on my way to work. When I arrived back home in the afternoon there he was waiting at the door to give me the most enthusiastic welcome ever.
Lorraine is the proud owner of four-year-old Angus
At the weekend we go on long walks together and his little face never fails to cheer me up and lift my spirits.
Right now, I have double the joy because I am sometimes lucky enough to look after Ruby, my daughter's cute little mini sausage dog. She adores Angus and watching the two of them playing together is adorable and good for the soul.
Angus the border terrier enjoying a snuggle with Ruby the sausage dog
Taking Angus and Ruby out for a walk doesn't just mean I get some much-needed exercise and fresh air, it's also a real stress buster and a chance to wind down.
Our dogs have been invaluable to all of us both physically and mentally. It's a way to keep active and to calm anxiety, because we have all felt overwhelmed by the whole Covid 19 pandemic, and also helpless in the face of world events like climate change and the recent appalling Russian invasion of Ukraine.
The pair get on fantastically well
I talk to Angus all the time when we are out on one of our walks. He's such a good listener, never interrupts me and seems genuinely fascinated with everything I have to say unless he gets distracted by another dog!
He's always been such an important part of our family, but in the last couple of years, I've realised we just couldn't function without him. I know I'm not the only one. We really don't deserve dogs!
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