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It gives me great pride to stand alongside my extraordinary guide dog, Jennie, in this year’s Westminster Dog of the Year competition.

This event is truly one of my favourites on the parliamentary calendar and is an incredible chance to celebrate the truly unique and special bond between MPs and their furry friends, while also shining a spotlight on the vital work the Kennel Club and the Dogs Trust do to promote welfare and responsible ownership. For me, however, my bond with Jennie is more than mere companionship: she is my guide and my independence and has become an important part of my ability to serve my constituents both in Parliament and back home in the Bay.

Jennie has the same joyous and playful spirit that you would expect from any Golden Retriever, but she also demonstrates the life-changing difference that assistance dogs can make for countless numbers of people across the country. Her extraordinary calmness, focus and intelligence represent years of dedication and training to becoming my guide dog. Westminster is by no means an easy place to navigate, with its endless corridors and narrow entrances. Jennie approaches these challenges with a truly astonishing level of judgment, allowing me to easily move around Parliament and navigate even the most complex of situations.

While it is very easy to be swept up in the charming nature of the Westminster Dog of the Year competition, it is important to be reminded of its incredibly important purpose. By bringing so many MP and dog duos together, it draws public attention to serious issues surrounding animal welfare. The competition’s partnership with the Dogs Trust, a charity I have been proud to support in the past, is vital.