Abeni, Leilah and Kermia
'We love dogs and we found Storm abandoned under a bridge. We washed her and fed her. We all liked her and we took her to the vet. She didn’t have any diseases or fleas and the vet said she was fine, so we decided to keep her. At first, she was called Lightning but then we heard of another dog called that, so we changed her name to Storm. We chose it because she’s so fast.
'We also have a cat and a parrot at home. We used to have a rat too but the cat killed it. We’re all of us friends and Storm’s another member of the family. Things are different for us now we have her – life is happier.' Photograph: Sarah Ainslie
Agatha
'Although I’m a photographer, Horace is very camera-shy. He’ll always look away when anyone tries to take a picture. Horace comes with me for my work. He’s only three but he’s very well-travelled. He’s got his own passport, has been to Paris and he loved the train to St Petersburg. I used to take him on the tube and buses when he was a puppy, I wanted him to get used to the idea. It worked wonders – now he’s obsessed with trains. I’m a very active person and that’s why I chose to get a whippet. I love watching Horace run.' Photograph: Sarah Ainslie
Ali Mclean
'Roxy’s so playful today! Horses get friskier when it starts getting colder, so maybe the same thing happens with dogs.
'She’s two years old and she’s my first dog since I’ve been living in London. I grew up in Aberdeen, where we always had dogs, and I went back to Scotland to get Roxy, as my friend owns her father. So she’s a piece of home and it’s nice to have that connection.
'I share the responsibility for Roxy with my boyfriend, which is good because she’s got so much energy. She needs three hours walking a day – at least.' Photograph: Sarah Ainslie
Caroline Meadows and Bertie
'Neen is a rescue dog. I was driving to the Dogs Trust to look for a dog and saw Neen walking along a main road, looking very skinny and frightened. I had a tin of dog food in the back of the car and that’s how I managed to attract him. He had no microchip, no collar, and I handed him into the police. But no one claimed him, so he came to live with us.
'We lived in a village in the Peak District until January. It was a beautiful place, but of course dogs don’t care about gorgeous scenery. Neen prefers living here, where he can scavenge and there are lots of different smells.
'I think it will be great for Bertie to grow up with a dog. Children love animals. So many songs and books are about animals and now he’ll have the real thing.' Photograph: Sarah Ainslie
Gian Paolo Gori
'She’s sweet, polite and hyper. That’s because she’s a jack russell – she never tires and she really keeps me in training.
'She’s clever too. We never had to struggle to teach her anything. She trained herself to fetch balls by putting them at the top of the stairs, letting them roll down and then taking them up to the top again.
'Clotty has her meals cooked for her, usually beef or lamb mince with some rice, and vegetables such as carrots, broccoli or peas. I make cookies for her, too, with ingredients like rice, flour, parsley, eggs and liver.' Photograph: Sarah Ainslie
Glenn Cleary
'I’m an only child and everyone in my family died, so I had nowhere for my feelings to go. Then I got Maudie. Now I don’t have a life of my own. When I was young there was an aristocratic cartoon character called Maudie Littlehampton, drawn by Osbert Lancaster. I loved her and thought it was a fun name to give my dog. Although she’s small, Maudie’s one of the fastest dogs in the park. Other dogs give up chasing her because she doesn’t give them a chance. I had a hip replacement and I wanted a dog that didn’t pull me over, but instead I got one that trips me up.' Photograph: Sarah Ainslie
Joe
'My granddaughter wanted a German Shepherd. Max was the runt of the litter and we really had to build him up. He’s very fussy though, he doesn’t mind if it starts to rain while we’re out, but if it’s already raining before we leave he just won’t go anywhere. I’m retired now. I was shafted and forced to leave my job, but actually it was the best thing that ever happened to me. These days, Max is my pastime. He’s my baby.' Photograph: Sarah Ainslie
Natasha Mason
'His full name is Anatole Wolfrus Zucowsky the Second. He was named after my Dad. Out of all the breeds, Griffons are supposed to have the most human features and their character traits include having a big heart and an air of self importance! My Mum Skypes Anatole from Spain and she’s already had her call this morning. She gives him a virtual tummy rub and I have to provide the real thing at the other end. Having a dog has led to so much for me – I’ve been organising dog shows, I want to start a dog magazine and I’m about to go out to India to train as a canine behaviourist. I’ve invented a new word – "dogalyst". A catalyst is something that causes a change, so a dogalyst is when a dog changes your life. Dogs have changed mine.' Photograph: Sarah Ainslie
Catherine Ray
'You wouldn’t believe his father was a doberman, would you? But under his fur are black hairs. He’s 12 years old but when I have him shaved every three months, people think he’s a pup.
'They call me the biscuit woman because I give all the dogs in the park little treats. The dogs were always trying to get into my pockets so now I keep the biscuits in a container.
'My previous dog, Troy, was with me for 14 years. Now I’ve got Rusty. A few years ago, I buried my daughter and then I lost my husband and my brother in the space of a year. So Rusty’s company for me now.' Photograph: Sarah Ainslie
Riccardo Raia
'I am from Milan but life is hard in Italy right now and there are no jobs for young people.
'I came to this country alone and I wanted some company, so I found Mary Jane. I had another dog called Blue in Italy but now my parents are looking after him. I would like to bring him here so the two of them can be together.
'Owning a dog here is better than at home. There are a lot of parks and everyone loves dogs here. I’m very happy to be part of London now and, of course, Mary Jane is a British breed of dog.' Photograph: Sarah Ainslie
