I'm being a speedy blogger today (all that time on Twitter must count for something after all!), as this afternoon I'll be getting a chance to visit one of our newest centres in Harefield, West London. As a relative newbie to Dogs Trust (one month yesterday!), it's a wonderful opportunity to see what we at HQ are supporting. On a daily basis, our dedicated volunteers across the country rescue, rehome, neuter, microchip and care for many dogs, with over 16,000 passing through our doors in the last year alone.

It would be wonderful to see this number decrease, of course. As with all charities, we seek the day we can put ourselves out of a job! Until then, though, it's heartening to know that we're expanding and able to deal with more and more of the estimated 100,000+ stray dogs in the UK and offer them an escape from the euthanasia policies of many organisations.

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Having a trawl through the forum, I found this post on Dog Fashion. Personally, I'm not one for dressing up dogs unless it's to protect them from harsh weather, but some pups do seem to enjoy it - if they don't, they'll make their opinion known pretty quickly and it should be respected.

When I also saw this post from zoepup seeking a good home for a doggy England shirt, I couldn't resist getting onto the Internet and doing a bit of fantasy dog shopping: if I had any amount of money to spend on a dog what would I get for her (and me!)?

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We know from our shopping poll that you like splashing out your hard-earned cash on all manner of things from doggy treats to holidays. A few enterprising DoggySnappers have gone a step further and created businesses from which they pledge to give a donation to Dogs Trust every time a loyal member of our community makes a purchase.

Here are just three of the shops publicising their wares (with our permission) on the forums.

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They're all part of our celebrity item auction!

You can now get your paws on authentic celebrity merchandise and help Scotland’s abandoned dogs at the same time! Dogs Trust Glasgow is holding a fundraising ball on 14th June and TODAY have opened pre-event bids on their celebrity item auction.

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I've had a bit of a weepy morning, getting emotional over some very powerful pet stories. I always knew that pets could be the most amazing source of comfort and love. In the past I've experienced the wonderful companionship of a dog and the brilliant cheering effect of a couple of guinea pigs, a pair of canaries, a brace of tortoises and a tank full of fish (my mother was very patient). I began to understand a bit better how incredible the support of a pet can be when my grandfather died, and my mother's elderly cat shadowed my grandmother through the early, painfully difficult days until they became the best of friends.

So while the heartwarming stories of Jess, Ben and Susie that I describe on our Blogger blog were of no surprise to me, they still thoroughly touched my heart. To hear of a dog pulling someone back from the desperation of self-harm and suicide attempts is to fully understand the phenomenal power of the love these beautiful creatures have to offer.

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Today has been a good day for finding sweet, interesting or unusual dog stories on the Internet, so I've taken a leaf from the book of other professional bloggers and I'm doing a 'link dump'. Sounds unpleasant, I know! But all it means is dropping a few quick links to other sites that have caught my attention.

- Tests to be introduced for Swiss dog owners: More about this on our Blogger blog later!

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So you've decided to adopt a dog? First-time adopters and might be wondering about the best way to welcome their new pal into their home.

Some things are common sense, like doing as much research as you can and ensuring that the basics – food bowls, beds, toys – are ready; however, there are also extra tips to be offered by experienced dog owners. Turning to one of the biggest groups of dog lovers and adopters online, I dipped a toe in the DoggySnaps forums and asked what users had done to welcome their new pals home.

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Many of you will have seen a story about an artist called Guillermo Vargas Habacuc circulating in the papers and online - it made the London Metro just this morning. People are claiming that he captured a stray dog, tied it to a post and let it starve to death as part of an exhibition. This happened back in 2006, but he has been invited to display his artwork at the Bienniel celebrations this year.

If this is true, it is a horrifying story. However, reports from the gallery and investigations by the Humane Society in the US suggest that the dog was actually only tethered for a short time, that he was fed and that he subsequently escaped; they also confirm that Vargas will not repeat his art this year.

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As a general rule, people who love animals tend to be interested in the environment. Although our pets are domesticated, we learn respect for all living creatures and try to offer them as comfortable a home as we possibly can. We then extend this courtesy to wild animals and some of us even manage to think of humans from time to time...

Today is Earth Day, and to celebrate this many pet blogs and eco-conscious web sites are considering ways to make your everyday life a bit greener. Here at Dogs Trust I've been doing my research and have come up with just a few simple ways to make your pet ownership that bit greener.

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