To celebrate National Dog Day on Tuesday, four members of the Emmerdale cast are sharing heartwarming stories of the pooches that have touched their lives – including ones that they’ve lost
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.
“It was love at first sight when I saw a picture of my rescue dog,” shares Jonny McPherson, who portrays Dr Liam Cavanagh, speaking about his lurcher, Molly.
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.”
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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.
She confesses: “I miss my dogs awfully.”
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!”.
Meanwhile, actress Eden Taylor-Draper formed a bond with a dog on the Emmerdale set. As Belle Dingle, she courageously confronted her abusive husband, Tom, by sharing her harrowing experience in court.
Her dog Piper played a crucial role.
Tom is currently serving a three-year sentence after being convicted of coercive control and assaulting Belle.
Eden reveals that it was Belle’s affection for her dog, Piper, portrayed by a Shih Tzu named Minnie, that gave her character the strength to break free from his grip.
“After Tom first hurt Belle, he got her a dog,” says the star. “He knew Belle would do anything to protect Piper. But when things got bad, he would hurt Piper to, in turn, hurt Belle. At one point he even tried to have Piper put down. His jealousy became horrendous.”
Working closely with the charity Refuge, Eden, 27, reveals that she, James Chase, who portrayed Tom, and the soap’s executives were keen to depict how Belle knew she had to confront her abusive husband to safeguard her dog.
Eden shares: “Belle wanted to save Piper.
“It’s fantastic that Emmerdale highlighted how animals can become victims in domestic abuse cases. People reached out during the Belle/Tom storyline to share they left their own abusive relationship for their dog. Viewers were sadly relating to it.”
According to Eden, working with Minnie was a joy.
She says: “Minnie was just brilliant from day one. She was great and so at ease on set. She got along with James and me. There were scenes where James had to yell or scream, but because Minnie knew him and he always made a fuss of her after the scene, she was never frightened.
“It was wonderful having her around.Belle does still have Piper, but she isn’t on screen at the moment. I’m eager to work with her again and when the time is right, I’d love to have a dog of my own.”
Natalie J Robb, who portrays Moira Dingle, is thrilled to have a new rescue dog, Buddy, two, after losing her first dog, Bronson, 18 months ago, aged 15.
The Scottish actress, 50, known to millions as Moira Dingle, admits Bronson’s death in February 2024 hit her hard.
Single and without children, Bronson, a cross breed of Japanese Akita and Rottweiler, was her soul mate when she rescued him, aged two.
“I hadn’t experienced grief like it and it was awful,” she shares, recalling his passing. “I missed him so much.
“I found it particularly hard coming home from a day’s filming and him not being there.”
Her friends suggested Natalie should get a new dog, but she needed time to mourn.
“It was tough,” she admits. “I had a necklace made with his chest hair inside and he is by my heart. I never take it off other than when I am playing Moira.”
However, destiny intervened during the summer.
“One night I woke up crying,” Natalie reveals. “I’d had a dream with this big blonde dog running through the woods with me. He had black eyes and a black snout. Bronson was there and he came and looked at me. But I woke up because it wasn’t Bronson.”
A fortnight later, Natalie saw an advert from a Spanish rescue centre.
“I spotted this photo of a mastiff dog looking exactly the same as the one in my dream” she says. “It was as if Bronson was telepathic and sending me a message. I rang them up and while I couldn’t meet him because of work, I saw lots of videos of him.
“Because of the dream, I knew this dog was for me.”
Four-and-a-half months after her initial enquiry, Buddy arrived by boat in the UK last November.
“It was about 3am when he was brought to my house,” she remembers. “He was seven- months-old and I could see these big legs like Bambi! He immediately came and lay down by me and we cuddled. He is so affectionate and gentle.”
While the memory of Bronson will always be cherished, Natalie is now filled with happiness by Buddy, who is one year old.
“Dogs give out so much love, it’s so rewarding,” she adds.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
