In honour of National Dog Day on Tuesday, four Emmerdale stars are sharing touching tales about the dogs that have made a paw print on their hearts.
Jonny, 43 – one of an estimated 13 million UK dog owners as per The Dogs Trust – began his search for a rescue dog during the pandemic. He was seeking a furry friend to keep him company on his canal boat home in Yorkshire at the time.
In January 2021, the RSPCA in Doncaster sent him some snaps of lurchers in need of a new home , reports the Mirror.
“I approached five different rescues before I got Molly,” he revealed. “It was lockdown and they all kept telling me I hadn’t made the shortlist.”
“But when Doncaster RSPCA sent me Molly’s picture, it was love at first sight. She is a cross between a whippet and a bearded collie and was four-and-a-half when I adopted her.”
His bond with Molly, now nine, has only grown stronger.
“She is possibly the most intelligent and well-behaved dog I have ever encountered,” he gushes. “And I have met a few in my time! I never have to have her on the lead even going through the centre of Leeds.”
Molly also reminds him of the animated favourite Gromit, from Wallace and Gromit.
He elaborates: “Like Gromit, she doesn’t bark or make any noises and she has got this characterful face with extraordinarily large eyebrows!”.
Jonny, who currently resides in a Leeds flat with Molly, reminisces about some of their misadventures while living on a boat.
“Molly did fall into the canal a few times,” he admits. “She didn’t really like the water and would much rather sit on top when we were chugging along!”.
“We’ve had so many adventures together. If you are contemplating getting a rescue dog, then do it. They are just sat there waiting for a home.”
Soap star Jaye Griffiths, known for her role as Celia Daniels, misses her two rescue dogs terribly when she’s filming.
Jaye, 61, and her husband, Paul, adopted whippet Ernie from a whippet rescue centre eight years ago, after two hospital doctors had to give him up due to their demanding work schedules.
“He was nine months old and he was with this gorgeous couple who adored him and gave him the best start,” she elaborates.
“But they were doctors and their shifts changed after they moved hospitals. They couldn’t make it work anymore.
“Giving him up was an act of self-sacrifice. The day we took him away, they were broken.
“We still send them photographs to show he is safe and loved.”
When Jaye and Paul heard that another dog needed a home, they immediately decided to adopt him as well.
Elsie, an Italian greyhound, was only 12 weeks old when she was rescued two years ago.
“We got an email about this tiny little blue and white thing,” Jaye recalls. “A woman had got a puppy and hadn’t realised how much work was involved.
“She put her up for sale. The Italian Greyhound rescue centre saw the ad and stepped in to try and help. We took the puppy and Elsie is two now.
“I think the right dog does find you. Dogs are incredible I miss them both terribly when I am filming.”
Jaye recalls a disastrous incident when she first travelled to Leeds from her home in Hertfordshire to film her soap scene after getting Elsie, and made the mistake of speaking to her on the phone.
“It was an absolute disaster,” says the star. “Paul says she spent the next four hours running around the house trying to find me. We never did that again!”.
