James Middleton, Kate Middleton’s younger brother, has always been a dedicated dog dad. His Instagram often has more photos of his dogs than himself, which is absolutely adorable. The entrepreneur has six dogs total: Ella, Zulu, Inka, Luna, Mabel, and Nala. But Ella is the one who has changed his life the most. In fact, she might’ve even saved his life.
Middleton recently opened up about his struggles with depression. As it turns out, Ella was the key to encouraging him to seek help and find happiness.
Ella the Hero Dog
The black Cocker Spaniel helped give her dad the push he needed to get help. Middleton had struggled with depression for a long time, but he was reluctant to try therapy. So, Ella attended his therapy sessions with him to help him feel a little more comfortable.
“I got this diagnosis and Ella came to all of my therapy sessions, which I was reluctant to go to from the start. But with her by my side, I really became confident in understanding that I had a mental illness,” Middleton said. “I would go as far as to say that I owe Ella my life, and she doesn’t know that.”
Through every up and down in his life, his dogs were there by his side. He said that they have always been the one consistent in his life. In fact, they always provided him with the emotional support he needed. It was difficult for him to talk about his depression with his friends and family, but with his furry friends, he always felt safe and loved.
Now, with Ella by his side, Middleton decided that he would like to help others in similar situations. Together, he and Ella will make a difference for individuals struggling with mental illnesses.
Dogs Can Change the World
Ella has now been trained as a therapy dog so she can help bring comfort to others too. She and Middleton frequently volunteer with the Pets As Therapy charity. Ella was always there to support Middleton, so now he wants to share her love with the world.
Middleton also recently announced that he will be launching the Paw Print Fund. This is an organization that supports animal welfare charities. He knows how important the relationship between a human and a dog can be, so this organization is a way for him to give back. He pointed out that during the coronavirus, dog companionship is more crucial than ever.
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“Who else is experiencing friendship, comfort, and unconditional love from their loyal pets during this difficult time? I want to give a big shout out to all our pets who are keeping us calm and helping us carry on!” Middleton wrote on Instagram.
Middleton wants to help show the world how important dogs are and how real mental illnesses are. Sometimes, we need dogs by our sides to help us get through the difficult moments in life. So, thank you to Ella and all the other loyal dogs out there. Our dogs truly make our lives worth living.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CD__HIJg2mB/
H/T: people.com
Featured Image: @jmidy/Instagram
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via Whisker Therapy