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Support dog Matilda named as Vets Now Pet of the Year 2022 winner

Sofia Dobson, from Warrington, Cheshire, was left mostly wheelchair-bound by the devastating stroke. She is also registered blind, has cerebral palsy and suffers from damaging seizures.

But Sofia, who is now eight, has formed such a bond with two-year-old Matilda, the Bichon Frise has just been named the winner of Vets Now’s first Pet of the Year award.

“The pair of them are inseparable and she has helped Sofia in so many ways, even letting us know when she might be about to have a seizure,” said mum-of-three Sarah Dobson, 45, who is Sofia’s full-time carer.

“She’s like a real-life little teddy bear who never leaves her side. The difference in Sofia in the past two years has been incredible.”

A small white dog is gently embraced by a smiling young girl with long hair and a blue bow. They are seated outdoors on a grassy field, near a wheelchair.
Matilda, the Bichon Frise has just been named the winner of Vets Now's first Pet of the Year award. ©Vets Now

Sofia became seriously ill soon after she was born, and the family were told she was unlikely to survive. An MRI showed she’d had a massive stroke and she was left was severe disabilities.

Doctors said she would probably not be able to talk, or walk, at all but she has proved them wrong and has also been an inspiration for others by leading charity fundraising events.

While Sofia is able to attend a mainstream school, it was felt a support dog could help with her complex sensory issues. After a lengthy search for the right breed, the family settled on a Bichon Frise and were won over by Matilda’s laid-back nature when they got her as a puppy.

“Sofia struggles to make friends and communicate with other children,” said Sarah, who is also studying forensic psychology. “So, we thought a dog would be perfect for companionship and improving her confidence.

Child walks fluffy white dog on a leash across a grassy park, wearing a blue outfit with a bow in her hair, surrounded by trees and a wooden fence.
Matilda helps Sofia improve her confidence. @Vets Now

“Because of the stroke, she doesn’t have the ability to calm down and control herself when she gets frustrated and blows off steam.

“But when she has a meltdown, Matilda instinctively puts her head on Sofia’s lap and that calms her instantly.

“She also somehow senses when Sofia is going to have a seizure and goes over and makes a fuss to alert us. Like everything else, we’ve never taught her that, she just seems to know what to do.

“Matilda really is Sofia’s best friend and comes with us when we go to pick her up from school. She’ll sit at Sofia’s side while she reads a book and it’s just so lovely to see the bond they have.”

The family are thrilled by the Pet of the Year prize from emergency vets, Vets Now, which includes a £500 voucher to take a pet-friendly break.

A woman, man, and two girls, one holding a small white dog, pose closely together outdoors in a park, with green trees in the background.
The family are thrilled by the Pet of the Year prize, which includes a '£500 voucher to take a pet-friendly break.' @Vets Now

And Sofia is passionate about continuing to raise funds and awareness for childhood stroke.

“She loves being involved in charity walks for the Stroke Association, with Matilda of course,” said Sarah. “She just amazing and always says she wants to help other children like her.”

Dave Leicester, who is responsible for a team of experienced vets at the PawSquad service, said: “After a tumultuous two years, we wanted to celebrate the important role pets have played for so many families and individuals across the UK.

“It’s a chance to shine a light on pets who have overcome injuries, or other challenges, and provided their owners with overwhelming comfort and support.”

Cat makes incredible recovery and becomes Pet of the Year 2022 runner-up

A family faced a double heartache after a kitten intended to ease the agonies of the loss of a beloved cat almost died only two days after getting him.Owner Leanne Naughton, from Bellshill, Lanarkshire, saw Theo became so ill at just five-weeks-old she feared he wouldn’t survive the night.But he pulled through against all the odds and his fighting spirit has been recognised with leading emergency vets, Vets Now, naming him as a runner-up in their first Pet of the Year awards.

And Leanne says Theo, who has just turned one, has brought much-needed happiness after heartbreak.

“I had a cat called Molz for 16 years, but he passed away from kidney and heart failure last May,” said mum-of-two Leanne, 37.

“We did everything we could to save him, but it only got him a few more weeks. It was just awful, and I swore I’d never get another pet as it was so upsetting.

“But my husband Joe decided I needed something to help me get over it, so we got two kittens last June.”

Leanne had only had Theo and his sister Lola for 48 hours when they became seriously ill with a suspected bacterial infection.Tragically, Lola died shortly afterwards, and Leanne feared she would lose Theo, too, when he started struggling to breathe.Joe made a middle of the night dash to the Vets Now Hospital in Glasgow, but Theo was so sick they were told he was unlikely to live.

“I couldn’t believe this was happening after Molz, but we had to give Theo every chance despite it seeming like he might have to be put to sleep,” said Leanne.

“He was barely breathing, but although they gave him medication and put him in an oxygen tent he wasn’t responding.

“I couldn’t bear having to tell my kids Lucianna and Leilah that he was gone.

“I asked the hospital to call me back after 7am when the girls got up for school, so I could break the news to them. I knew they would have wanted to say goodbye.

“But it was a little later when they called, and it was to say he had somehow stabilised.

A black and white cat sits alert on a table in a veterinary clinic, surrounded by a computer, keyboard, and scale in the background.
Theo was so sick they were told he was unlikely to live. @Vets Now

“I didn’t want to get my hopes up, though, and still thought this wee kitten wasn’t coming home. I’d actually been packing up his bed and his toys.”

After being fed by syringe and carefully monitored, Theo was back on his feet within 48 hours. He was able to come home later that week and was soon back to full health.

The family got a companion cat for Theo, Levi, shortly afterwards and both are thriving one-year-olds.

“When you look at this little ball of fluff, you’d never believe he nearly died,” said Leanne. “He’s a cat with no fear, so I still worry every time he’s up to something as I couldn’t go through the heartache again.

“I’m just so grateful to Vets Now for everything they did in getting him back to us and we’re absolutely thrilled about his Pet of the Year award.”

Dave Leicester, who is responsible for a team of experienced vets at the PawSquad service, said: “After a tumultuous two years, we wanted to celebrate the important role pets have played for so many families and individuals across the UK.

“It’s a chance to shine a light on pets who have overcome injuries, or other challenges, and provided their owners with overwhelming comfort and support.”

Rescue dog has kept on “fostering" despite battling cancer and becomes Pet of the Year runner-up

11-year-old Border collie cross Gypsy has nurtured scores of other cats and dogs taken in by owner Jo Yoli, from Sale, Greater Manchester.

And the fact she’s continued doing it through her health scare has seen her named a runner-up in emergency vets, Vets Now’s, first Pet of the Year awards.

Dog walker Jo adopted Gypsy from an animal charity 10 years ago after she’d been living semi-wild with a pack of other dogs on a farm.

“She didn’t want to live indoors and hadn’t been around people, so she was terrified at first,” said Jo, 40, who also works at an animal sanctuary.

“But she very quickly bonded with me and soon showed she is such a gentle soul who just loves everybody.

“I fostered before having Gypsy and once she had settled in, I started doing it again. I tend to take dogs with special needs, often with broken bones or that have been abused, plus lots of new-born orphan kittens who need hand-rearing.

“Gypsy welcomes all of them, especially the hand-rears. She takes them under her wing and toilets, washes and snuggles them. It’s like a comfort blanket for them, having some warm fur to curl up in.

“I need to feed them every two hours and she always gets up and watches on. If she could feed them herself then she would do.

“When I have foster rabbits, she’ll sit with them in the garden and is just so gentle.”

Gypsy’s cancer diagnosis was made late last year when a lump on her shoulder blade was investigated during a routine check-up. A subsequent CT scan showed the sarcoma hadn’t spread, but she had an unrelated cancer on her heart.

Rather than an amputation, surgery was carried out last December to remove part of Gypsy’s shoulder blade and cut away the cancer. She had radiotherapy after the operation and is now on anti-cancer medication to control the tumour on her heart.

Despite all her medical issues, Gypsy’s foster love hasn’t faltered.

A black and white dog lies on green grass, looking forward. The sunny outdoor setting highlights lush, vibrant surroundings.
Gypsy was adopted from an animal charity 10 years ago. @Vets Now

“She’s come through it well, just a bit lame on her leg because of the shoulder surgery,” said Jo.

“As soon as she was back, she was right into looking after the little ones again.

“It’s kitten season and I have already had ones for her to nurture, with plenty more on the way.

“I was playing a video of a friend’s foster kitten the other day and she was at the screen, wondering why it wasn’t there.

“Caring for other animals is just in her and I’m so proud she got the Vets Now Pet of the Year award.”

Dave Leicester, who is responsible for a team of experienced vets at the PawSquad service, said: “After a tumultuous two years, we wanted to celebrate the important role pets have played for so many families and individuals across the UK.

“It’s a chance to shine a light on pets who have overcome injuries, or other challenges, and provided their owners with overwhelming comfort and support.”