As the UK’s dog lovers celebrate the canine world’s finest pampered pooches at Crufts (5-8 March), The National Lottery reveals some of the lavish lifestyles and heart-warming stories that a lottery win makes possible for winners’ four-legged friends, from a brand new doggy-friendly Bentley to rescuing dogs from Eastern Europe.
As a nation of dog lovers – 26% of the UK adult population have a dog – it should come as no surprise that National Lottery winners only want the best for their Man’s (and Woman’s) best friend. With nearly half (42%) of all National Lottery winners owning a dog, it seems lucky winners don’t just treat their nearest and dearest human friends and relations but make sure their pooches are very much a pampered part of their lottery-winning family too.
Viv and Kev Moss, who won almost £7M in 1998, now live in Newquay, Cornwall, with their beloved Labrador, Stanley. They have even bought a new car – a Bentley Bentayga – just to help make Stanley’s life easier.
Viv explains, “Stanley is getting on in canine years and was finding it extremely difficult to get in and out of our old car, a Range Rover Evoque Convertible. This meant it was hard to get him out and about for those walkies he loves – such an important part of any dog’s life – in the Cornish countryside.
“Thanks to our lottery win we were able to afford a luxury Bentley. The car is great for Stanley as the boot has its own suspension which lowers and raises at the touch of a button, meaning Stanley can practically step-in and step-out. We’re now all able to go off together exploring…plus, Kev and I love our new Bentley too!”
Another amazing ‘tail’ involves Ruth and Peter Doyle, from Lyneham in Wiltshire, who scooped £1M in 2015. Their canine family has since grown from two to three, as Ruth is a lifelong lover of dogs, even dedicating time and effort to driving lorry loads of neglected or unwanted breeds from Romania, to rehome here in the UK.
They have rescued 13 dogs who had been abandoned or left to die – including 18-month old Lily, seven years ago – but it was while enjoying time at their holiday home in Spain with Welsh rescue Collie, Bailey, and Lily that Ruth’s heart was recently stolen by pretty pup Karley, who they fostered and will bring back home on their next trip.
Ruth and Peter’s EuroMillions windfall meant Bailey could have an overdue £6,000 hip replacement just over two years ago, although Lily is definitely lady of the manor, as Ruth explains: “She wakes up in the middle of the night to let me know she’s cold, knowing I’ll put another blanket over her, although she and Bailey are already wrapped up at bedtime each night. Lily often changes bed in the middle of the night too.”
