Former Love Island star Faye Winter has credited her golden retriever Bonnie with saving her life after she struggled with severe anxiety following her appearance on the show in 2021. The 30-year-old from Exeter faced intense backlash after a heated argument with Teddy Soares, which led to 24,763 complaints to Ofcom. She says the unconditional love of her dog helped her through the darkest period of her life.
Winter adopted Bonnie in 2022, when she was in a very low place. 'When I brought Bonnie home, I felt that heaviness lift,' she said. 'I've always said Bonnie saved my life. I owe everything to that dog because I was in such a low place when I got her.' She added that the responsibility of caring for her pet gave her a reason to keep going.
In addition to Bonnie, Winter also has cats Paddy and Pebbles, and horses Kevin, Keith and Arnie. She has been open about her therapy journey and now uses her platform to advocate for animal welfare. This March, she is fronting a campaign with Adaptil and Feliway to raise awareness about pet anxiety and promote diffusers designed to reduce stress for dogs and cats.
Winter emphasised the importance of understanding pet anxiety, noting that behaviours often seen as 'naughty' can actually be signs of stress. 'We need to understand that, so that we can help them better and not punish pets for being anxious, which they can't control,' she said. She expressed gratitude for the opportunity to be the face of the campaign, saying it recognises her work in animal welfare activism.
