A Love That Started Young
From a young age, I’ve always loved dogs. Honestly, I would’ve spent all my time with them if I could. My nan had three Labradors when I was growing up, and I followed them everywhere like their shadow.
After years of me and my siblings begging, we finally got our own family dog — a black Labrador called Keesha. And that was it… I fell completely in love.
She was perfect.
She’d been trained as a gun dog, like my nan’s, but she never actually worked. Instead, she became our very well-behaved pet… and eventually, the princess of the house.
We had her until she was 13. By that time, I was older, with a daughter of my own. And even though I wasn’t living at home anymore, losing her hit hard.
It wasn’t just losing a dog — it was losing that comfort. The cuddles, the excitement when you walk through the door, the simple joy of taking her out.
The house just felt… different.
Choosing To Rescue
For years, I knew that if I ever got a dog of my own, it would be a rescue.
I’d seen too much not to. The stories online, the street dogs when I was on holiday — it stayed with me. I knew I had the time, the patience, and the love to give a dog a proper home.
So almost exactly a year after losing Keesha, I made the decision.
I was getting a dog.
Finding Marley
I spent a long time looking at different rescues and pages. If I’m honest, I was trying to avoid all the nonsense that can come with it — especially in the UK. They make it so hard.
As a single parent with a young daughter at the time, I kept getting overlooked. It felt less about what I could offer, and more about ticking boxes.
But then things changed.
Through a family friend, I got connected to someone working with a Greek rescue. I was so excited. I sent over a few photos of my garden, explained my situation and experience… and suddenly, I was going to meet a dog.
He wasn’t exactly what I thought I was looking for.
And I remember having to tell myself:
“It’s not a checklist.”
The moment I met him, that was it.
I fell in love instantly — and apparently, he chose me too.
I brought him home that same day.
That was Marley.
More Than Just a Dog
Marley will get his own story (because he definitely deserves one), but he changed everything for me.
I’ve struggled with my mental health since I was young, and I knew deep down that having my own dog would help — that it would give me a reason to get up, get out, and keep going on the harder days.
And he has.
Every single day, he’s right there with me.
Growing The Pack
Fast forward nearly five years, and I’m on holiday in Cyprus when I come across another rescue — a little girl (well… not so little now, and definitely a bit spicy).
Like Marley, she’ll have her own story too.
But now, it’s the three of us.
Why Rescues Roaming Exists
Together, we roam.
We explore. We walk. We camp. We take trips across the country — sometimes just us, sometimes with family and friends.
And somewhere along the way, I realised…
Why not share this?
Rescues Roaming started as a way to document our adventures — the good, the messy, the real.
But it’s also more than that.
I want to show people, especially those who feel alone, that it is possible.
You can get the dog.
You can go on that walk.
You can camp, explore, and build something for yourself — even if it feels scary at first.
And most importantly, I want to raise awareness for rescue dogs everywhere.
Because they don’t just need homes — they deserve full, happy, adventurous lives.
And maybe, just maybe… we can help a few more find that.
