We know that isolation can be tough, so we’ve rounded up some of the Impact committee’s cutest furry friends to bring some joy to your social distancing!
First up…
A forever puppy who is extremely energetic and overflowing with love and licks
Basil (aka Baz) is half working cocker spaniel and half cavalier. Although Baz is 6 years old, he is definitely a forever puppy who is extremely energetic and overflowing with love and licks for whoever he meets. He’s loyal, if not a little needy, yet has the tendency to give you a certain cheeky look before throwing all his obedience out the window if there is a muddy river or half-eaten sandwich in sight. Despite his desire to bark at pigeons, Baz is a wonderful isolation buddy who makes sure you wake up each morning with a clean face and will follow you around the house requesting regular chest rubs to ensure you hit your recommended daily release of serotonin.
Katie Moncur
As you can imagine then, lockdown for her is paradise
Right, so this is Mia. She’s fourteen and quite an anti-social so and so. The only people she likes being around are me, my brother, my mum and my dad. I’m not kidding. If a delivery person even stands near our front door, she darts out of the living room. As you can imagine then, lockdown for her is paradise. She’s clocked onto the fact that no one is popping over and she’s loving every minute of it. It’s a double bonus that Amazon delivery drivers just leave packages at the door and run off.
Yeah, she’s not going to readjust too well when this is all over.
Ibrahim Lakhanpal
Her hobbies are: sunbathing, sleeping and barking
Willow is my eight-year-old West Highland Terrier, nicknamed the Miranda of Westies by my Mum, after the actress Miranda Hart. Her hobbies are: sunbathing, sleeping and barking. Since the quarantine began, she has been doing a lot of barking and not as much sleeping with us all at home! Willow enjoys guarding our garden against any intruders, whether balls kicked over the fence by next door’s children or her nemeses: cats. She likes to rest her chin on the armchairs in our conservatory to observe the garden.
Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to take Willow on a proper walk for several weeks now, so she’s been bossier than usual. But she always welcomes a fuss and cuddling her has boosted my mood during moments of anxiety.
Lauren Winson
Is she a gentle giant? Well that would depend on who you ask
When asked to name a big cat, most people would say lion or tiger. But I can’t help but think of my own big cat, Winnie. Is she a gentle giant? Well that would depend on who you ask. My boyfriend who she lovingly follows around the house, probably yes, but the cat who’s fur and collar we found in the garden would argue otherwise. She is a social cat, but often doesn’t follow social etiquette- a gal who is not afraid of seriously prolonged eye contact. Winnie appeared in our lives after a friend found her in the hedge of a country lane in the early hours of New Year’s Day. After months of searching, the owner could not be found so she came to stay with us.
Anna Stacey
She is secretly terrified of sheep- it is her greatest shame
This is Belle! She is a Border Collie, otherwise known as a sheepdog. She may look like she’s doing her breed justice in this photo, but she is secretly terrified of sheep- it is her greatest shame. Belle is 2 years old and is being very distracting during isolation as she requires lots of walks and is always full of beans.
However, we also have another dog called Meg! As you might have guessed, Meg is a little bit older at the ripe old age of 14 (or 98 in dog years), so she lives a much slower pace of life. Meg is a great isolation companion because she is a calming presence when I’m getting stressed with uni work.
Emily Casey
She is a cross between a Wirehaired Dachshund and a couch potato
This is my dog, Lola – or ‘Waste of Space’ as my Dad calls her. She is a cross between a Wirehaired Dachshund and a couch potato. It must be true that dogs take after their owners, because when she sees me, she’ll make a beeline for the sofa. Now that we’re in isolation, not much has changed. When I do manage to get her out for a walk, she’ll immediately turn around to go home. She’s smart enough to know that her cuteness will help her to get away with almost anything. Maybe she’s untrained, but let’s call it personality!
Nina Shasha
She a h*ckin’ good girl
This is Luna. Her friends call her Loony or The Loon. She’s an English Pointer pupperino coming up to her 2nd birthday! She a h*ckin’ good girl, apart from when she tries to sneak upstairs and steals one of the hoomans’ slippers. You will either find her running to the max or sitting, there is no in between. The floppy ears and pink pancake (what her hooman’s call her tongue) are guaranteed to fly everywhere when she does the former.
She’s been having the most fun since the lockdown hit, going on many walkies and runs with all her hoomans. Her favourite toy is a pink rope her hoomans’ bought her when she was only a few weeks old, we call it Flingy Thing and it’s compulsory to say the name in a high pitched voice when you fling it across the garden! She has also discovered she very much enjoys tennis balls, and is even more entertained when she tries to intercept the ball when the hoomans play!
Feel free to keep up with Luna on instagram @lunathepointerpup!
Anna Scott
He has the same characteristics as a cat
This is Teddy and he is 11 years old. Most dogs would be pleased with the company during isolation, yet he has the same characteristics as a cat and is fed up with all the people in the house. You will find him curled up on his bed, trying to get involved in my outdoor workout, or playing with his favourite toy. He may be aloof but he has moments of being like a puppy and will come for cuddles (on his own terms) and I love him lots. He is a valued extra member of the family to keep us all entertained with his funny ways whilst in quarantine.
Megan Bowie
Featured image courtesy of Lauren Winson. No changes were made to this image.
In article image 1 courtesy of Katie Moncur, image 2 courtesy of Ibrahim Lakhanpal, image 3 courtesy of Lauren Winson, image 4 courtesy of Anna Stacey, images 5&6 courtesy of Emily Casey, image 7 courtesy of Nina Shasha, image 8 courtesy of Anna Scott and image 9 courtesy of Megan Bowie. No changes were made to these images.
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