Mieka Smiles

Local Matters

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WE are a nation of dog lovers. They hijack our emotions with their soulful eyes, floppy ears and adorable antics. Over centuries, they have not just found a way into our homes, but also into our hearts.

I always rolled my eyes at those who called them fur babies. “They’re not children!” I’d say. But since we brought home Arthur, our achingly cute dachshund, we’ve joined the legions of pooch parents, proudly showing off puppy pictures to anyone who cares to humour us. So that’s why what I discovered this week made me sick to my stomach. It was an article about Noel Gallagher’s ex-wife Meg Mathews and her crusade to stop medical testing on dogs.

Dogs. In Britain. In 2026.