Liz C

I proudly tell everyone that am a #LabraMummy to my two yellow Labradors, Chewbacca (Chewie) and Lucy. I met them when they were 6 weeks old and they’ve been in my home since they were 8 weeks old. They are my family members and are my furbabies. I even found a t-shirt to let everybody know my greatest role in life (see photo).

What I know about being unable to have children is that family takes ALL forms and that being part of a family means being able to love and care for someone other than yourself.

My first furbaby Chewie is a sweet boy who transformed our house into a home in late 2015. As a #childlessnotbychoice woman, Chewie came into my life at a pivotal moment just a week after ending our infertility journey. I call him the #healerofmyheart because that's what he did and continues to do. He made our house a home and his sweet loving nature inspired us to get him a sister. They have the same father so they are definitely siblings!

Lucy is our second furbaby whom we met in late 2016 and she came home in early 2017. I was so in love with Chewie that I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to love her enough. Her cheeky and clever personality, along with the wiggliest butt ever (yes, she won a prize in a dog park at only 4 months old!) makes her the kind of sassy daughter I imagined having. Lucy is independent yet also loving towards us. She is particularly enamoured of her big brother Chewie whom she can’t bear to be apart from.

I am under no illusion that they are substitutes for the children I wasn’t able to give birth to. However, they know I’m their Mummy and they know that my husband is their Daddy. I am aware that Chewie and Lucy are dogs and NOT human children.

Raising them has shown me a glimpse of what life might have been like if I'd had the opportunity to have a child. Their presence opened up a part of my heart and soul that I didn't know existed.

I know that my furkids are reliant on my husband and I to take care of them in many of the ways that a parent takes care of a child. My husband and I have raised them from a very young age where they were dependent on us to ensure their physical and emotional health were top priorities.

Much like parents, we have shown them love, given them a safe and secure home environment to grow up in, set behavioural boundaries and enjoyed spending time with them outside the house such as dining out and traveling.

A major difference with raising a human child versus a furbaby is that a human child will eventually grow up to take care of himself/herself. However, my furbabies will always rely on me to feed them and look after their health.

We also know that our furkids have a very finite time with us…..with Labradors, the average lifespan is 12-14 years. Imagine a parent being told that their child would only live to pre-teen age?

When I go for a walk with them, people are far more friendly towards people with dogs than if I was walking alone. Being a dog mum has enabled me to form great connections, both locally and globally, with a variety of people regardless of their caring responsibilities.

Another upside of having furry family members is that they only ever expect love, food, cuddles, pats, warm bed, love, treats and food. They will never ask you for money, be influenced by their friends or social media, demand the latest fad toy or device, will never slam the door in your face, never talk back to you and you won’t ever have to attend a single parent teacher interview!

The most sass I get from my furbabies is when they think they deserve an extra treat 😊

I know there are people who don’t like the term furparents or furkids but I fully embrace being known as a furmumma. Hence I call them my family members rather than my pets. To each, their own!

While I know that I don’t have more room in my home for more dogs, I knew that as a furmumma, I had more love to give. At the start of 2024, I became a foster carer with Labrador Rescue. I had read way too many posts about the ever-growing number of Labradors in need of a safe and loving home.

Being a foster carer has given me an incredible opportunity to provide rescued Labradors with a fresh start to their lives and for them to know what a good life can be. I also get to be part of connecting the dog I’m fostering to ensure they go to the best possible forever family. It is truly rewarding to see a Labrador, one of the most loving and intelligent dog breeds, go from being shy or scared when they come into our home slowly learning to relax and being joyful.

I'm furever thankful to have the most unconditional love of my two furbabies and know that they have brought joy to many people.  I hope that anyone reading this submission knows that having an animal to love doesn’t make you less but actually makes you more of a great person as you have actively chosen to love another living creature that didn’t come from your body.