In celebration of our canine companions on National Pet Day, a poll of 1,265 UK dog owners commissioned by Purina has revealed that owning a dog is not only good for your physical health, but can also be great for making new friends and striking up conversations with new people.

Nearly half (44 per cent) of those surveyed revealed that they have made at least one new friend when out on a dog walk. While 66 per cent of said that owning a dog and going out for regular walks together, encouraged them to be more social with new people.

A dog who was dumped over a wall into a tangle of barbed wire has surprised her rescuers by giving birth to a healthy puppy.

The terrier - who has been named Ladybird by the RSPCA - was rescued from Levett Road, Barking, on 18 March.

RSPCA Inspector Lee Ricketts, who worked with London Fire Brigade to rescue the frightened dog, said: “We were called after a person walking along Levett Road heard a distressed dog crying on the other side of a 6ft-high (1.8m) concrete wall.