They say every dog has his day – but two of them enjoyed a surprise taste of Highland hospitality when their owner had an unexpected break of her own.
Janice Milligan drove to Oban with her Newfoundlands Wendy and Nana for a camping holiday.
But the huge dogs ended up in board and lodgings at Argyll Animal Aid rescue centre when their mistress slipped in mud and ended up in hospital with a broken leg.
Ms Milligan, who is still on crutches, has finally been reunited with her pets after spending a month in hospital and two months recuperating from her ordeal.
The 64-year-old from Liverpool said she couldn’t thank Argyll Animal Aid enough for helping her stranded dogs after she was taken to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.
Ms Milligan left the pets in her car at Oban Caravan and Camping Park, thinking she was just going for a quick check-up at the local hospital.
She said: “I thought I would go to the loo – but I didn’t get very far from the tent before I fell and slipped in the mud and broke the top of my femur.
“The dogs were with me so I put them in the car and told the camp site owners the keys were in the car, thinking I would be back the next day.
“But when I got to the hospital in Oban they said I needed an operation and would have to go to the Royal Alexandra Hospital in Paisley.
“I was there for two weeks before being transferred to hospital in Liverpool. I had no spare clothes or anything, they were in the car, along with my spectacles and the dogs.”
The campsite owners kept the car on site and called in Argyll Animal Aid, who were happy to look after the dogs.
Ms Milligan added: “The people at Argyll Animal Aid have been ever so good. They are water dogs and they even took them swimming in the loch.”
Fiona Woodhouse, a member of the charity’s committee, said: “We are happy to help, that’s what we are here for.”
Argyll Animal Aid held its biggest fundraising event of the year on Saturday when the annual Christmas fair took place in Oban’s Corran Halls.