My Dear Zoe

At times where my life hasn't felt very certain, there are a few facts that are irrefutable;

Your dogs always make everything better

Your dogs always make everything better,

...and, yes, you guessed it!

Your dogs always make everything better.

I work as an event producer, and the COVID-19 pandemic has meant that all of my work has been constantly getting cancelled for the past two years. My extensive CV of music events and festivals that I had worked so hard on building has just seen this big gap that not only has affected my income, but also my mental health, and the value that I see myself holding.

Of course, some days are better than others. Some days you wake up, and there is hope, and you feel like taking your dogs for a run. And other days, you are very upset about it all, and you just want life to go back to normal, and it's your dogs having to take you out for a run. Zoe, my little chocolate puppy knows when I am having one of those days, and she goes to the hallway, grabs the leash that normally rests on top of my shoes, and she brings it to me. "C'mon Lucia, I can't walk myself, can I", I bet you she would say to me if she could.

After the summer, as soon as Zoe turned 3 months old and she had her last mandatory vaccine, I felt that it was time for us both to go on an adventure. I had been a bit depressed and unmotivated throughout the summer months, and I knew that this is the exact sort of adventure that I needed (and that Zoe would absolutely love!). So I got the van ready and we went on the most beautiful month away I could have ever dreamt of.

We started in Murcia, South East Spain (where we're from), and we went through the whole south coast of Spain stopping in every beach, sleeping in the most magical places, where Zoe and I would wake up for sunrises and go for runs, and watch the most special sunrises together when having dinner. We met other lovely humans along the way, as well as other animal friends too! Zoe got to know herself in all different kinds of landscapes and social situations. Unless we were walking through a town, Zoe loved to be off the leash. She enjoyed the feeling of being free and trusted with her intuition and her hunger for discovery. She was also timid when we were in crowded places and at times I had to pick her up to sooth her fears.

When we were in Portugal, we visited Nazare, the beach with the highest surfable waves of the world, and Zoe really fit right in. There was a beautiful community of campers that also had dogs, and we spent a good week with them, sharing stories, playing with our puppies and surfing. Zoe was loving testing the waters by very shily dipping her toes in and out of the water. I felt in that moment that we both belonged there, at that time, in that place, and my heart is filled with love and gratefulness for having had the chance of experiencing this trip with my little chocolate pup.

We didn't want the trip to end, but eventually we had to come back home where my whole family and other dogs and been missing their sisters so much. Since then, I have tried to keep my depression at bay. When I feel it kicking in, I put my alarm at seven in the morning and I take Zoe for a sunrise run. It brings back beautiful memories and it fills both our souls with beauty and hope.

Did you know that caring for a pet can help your physical and mental health?

Pet owners are less likely to suffer from depression than those without pets.

People with pets have lower blood pressure in stressful situations than those without pets. One study even found that when people with borderline hypertension adopted dogs from a shelter, their blood pressure declined significantly within five months.

Playing with a dog, cat, or other pet can elevate levels of serotonin and dopamine, which calm and relax.

Pet owners have lower triglyceride and cholesterol levels (indicators of heart disease) than those without pets.

Heart attack patients with pets survive longer than those without.

Pet owners over age 65 make 30 percent fewer visits to their doctors than those without pets.

Check the facts here: