When we lost our first dog, Jasmine, we found a good breeder and brought Renae home at 8 weeks old. I wanted a friend for her and adopted Susie-Belle, a miniature schnauzer who had spent 8 years in a terrible puppy farm.

Schnauzerfest came into my life in 2017 and I learnt a lot on my first walk. Some of the Diana Brimblecombe Animal Rescue Centre (DBARC) team were there with puppy farm survivors, each with their own story. I was aware of puppy farms but naive to the horrors breeding dogs endure, surviving and often dying a few feet from where they are born. I won a raffle prize that day, and chose a book written by Janetta Harvey about Susie-Belle, the inspiration behind Schnauzerfest, reading it cover to cover that day.

I grew up with dogs: my favourite companions were the family miniature schnauzer Rowsby and standard schnauzer Daisie, both of whom I doted on. I have two standard schnauzers - Alfie, and Reeva who is adopted.

I have a lifelong love of dogs and Archie was my first schnauzer after losing a standard poodle and a Welsh terrier in the same week. After watching a shocking TV programme on puppy farming, the details of which stayed with me and really brought home how horrific the industry is, I adopted Isla, one of the fortunate few who get out of puppy farms.