How our pets saved LOCKDOWN

What helped you through lockdown? Zoom chats with friends, walks in the sunshine or steadily tippling wine and gin? Admittedly, all of the above eased my stresses somewhat. But nothing made the wretched business bearable like our 11-year-old Collie cross, Jack.

We love our pets madly but, in becoming our near-constant companions during those gruelling months, they played an even more significant role in our lives. The week before lockdown in March saw a 100% increase in dogs and cats being adopted from Battersea, compared with the same week the previous year.

‘My cat’s the only creature with a beating heart that