Pet grief needs to be taken seriously

TV presenter Matt Johnson speaks about his beloved pug Alan, and how he's coped in the aftermath of his death

- INTERVIEW BY HANNAH BRITT

I was given my beloved pug Alan Shearer by a wonderful friend named Paul in 2020. Before he came to me, I'd been going through a hard time, dealing with the loss of several friends, including Love Island's Sophie Gradon, and TV presenters Caroline Flack and Emily Hartridge, as well as a tough breakup and work troubles.

It was a really sad time for me and I struggled with my mental health. Alan gave me a purpose, something I desperately needed. We bonded and I had this wonderful companionship in this little dog that I'd never had before.

He became not just an emotional support dog but my best friend and was a big part of my everyday routine. I had to get up in the morning, even if I didn't want to to feed him and take him for a walk. Alan was by my side through everything. At one moment we were the same age, which was a magical time, both in our 40s and bachelors in our own place. I learnt so many lessons as his owner, unconditional love being one of them. Patience and loyalty too. I'm so grateful to have experienced that with him.