I met the boys in London before moving to the country. As I struggled with isolation and depression, they were my lifeline. You could say I rescued them, then they rescued me

The therapeutic effects of having a furry friend are well documented; many people made the best of being at home during the Covid lockdowns by welcoming a new cat, dog, rabbit or rodent into their home. This is where I found myself in the autumn of 2020. I was living alone for the first time, having left the hustle and bustle of London for rural Hertfordshire with my two guinea pigs, Pudding and Popcorn.

I met the boys during a visit to This Little Piggy, a guinea pig rescue run by volunteers in Richmond, south-west London. I was introduced to big pigs, little pigs, confident pigs and shy pigs. When I met these two, I realised they were the ones. As they licked my fingers and leaned in for a cuddle, I knew that I had to take them home.