When Clare Ware found herself unable to carry out everyday tasks from food shopping to showering, she knew she needed help.
So, after six years of battling it alone, the 50-year-old decided to get a canine counterpart after learning of the benefits of having a dog.
She settled on a pooch called Bear, who not only continues to help Claire through her recovery, but is also joining her on a walking challenge to raise money for animals in need.
Clare and Bear will be taking part in the RSPCA’s virtual dog walking challenge, My Big Walkies, next month. The event, which takes place throughout March, is open for dog owners and walkers to sign up.
Clare said: ‘As a recovering mental health warrior, I know exactly how debilitating life can seem when you are struggling, and how the thought of even just leaving the house can seem like a mountain to climb.
‘But I also know how uplifting it can be to go out for a walk, even just for a mile a day. And in particular, I know first-hand how sharing your life with a pet can transform you. Bear brought me back to life.’
From one mile a day, or one hundred miles across the whole month, anyone can take part in My Big Walkies and raise funds for the RSPCA.
Before she got Bear, Clare thought long and hard, considering whether she was fit for a pet, and could give one the home it deserved.
She added: ‘I decided the time was right, and as soon as I met Bear, who was just a couple of months old then, I knew we were meant to be together.
‘He’d even already been nicknamed Bear, which had been my nickname for years – so it seemed like a sign!
‘We’ve been inseparable since, and even though I still face struggles everyday and have an ongoing painful battle with fibromyalgia, I had no idea just how much he would help my recovery and transform my life.’
In the almost two years since Bear came home with Clare, her wellbeing has steadily improved, from walking every day and chatting to other dog owners, to volunteering for local charities.
Clare added: ‘Bear helped me to open myself up to the world again by simply being by my side.
‘I’ve realised wellbeing and mental health is always going to be a work in progress, but having Bear with me means I am never alone, and he’s always reminding me to look forward.’
Clare and Bear have committed to completing a mile a day throughout March, and the pair are well on their way to reaching their fundraising target of £250, which will go a huge way in helping the RSPCA.
The animal welfare charity saw a shocking 25% rise in the number of abandonment and 13% rise in neglect incidents being dealt with by its rescue teams last year.
By pledging their own My Big Walkies miles throughout March, supporters will be raising essential funds to help RSPCA rescuers be there for animals in need.
Do you have a story you want to share? Email MetroLifestyleTeam@Metro.co.uk to tell us more.
MORE : ‘He really is a godsend’: World’s tallest cat works as a cuddly therapy animal
MORE : These pets are desperate for forever homes – can you be their Valentine?
MORE : Asking For A Friend: How to look after your mental health following an abortion