I didn’t think I’d be writing this for a long time. We lost my beautiful girl and I needed to write, to clear my head.

Mum and Dad decided to get a dog 12 years ago and I’ll be honest I wasn’t sure. Our cat had gone missing a few months before and I was still holding out hope. So we went, me in all black with arm warmers and a lot of eyeliner – it was the time of the emo. We went as a family to Dogs Trust, we knew we were going to rescue but my parents had a small dog in mind, maybe a Westie.

We went in and the woman behind the counter slipped Mum and Dad a bit of paper they said yes and we were lead through a few doors. There, in that room, were 6 puppies. We were told they were Lurchers (I had no idea what that was – none of us really did). I crouched down and a little one came straight up and licked my hand. That was my girl and my dog. That was Lottie.

At the time she had been named Jade as a temporary name. We did go and look at other dogs but ultimately she was ours, we had to wait a few weeks for her to have her so she could support her sister through and she did. Then she came home and had us all wrapped around her paw from the minute she came through the door.

We had her for 12 years, there are countless stories I could tell, when she was a puppy Ali decided to throw a stick while she was on the lead…we ended up chasing her around the field which she thought was a great game. The time that she jumped up and took a chunk of my Dads kebab when he turned around for a second. Or all the hours we spent sneaking food and breakfast or when she’d sleep on my bed (and take it over).

She was one of the kindest and sweetest dogs I’ve ever know and more so, she was mine. My heart has broken in the pieces but I’m remembering all of the good times. I’m watching videos and looking at pictures because I’m going to remember her as she was. Sleep well my angel pup – you’ll be in my heart forever.