James Middleton reveals his dog Ella was his saviour upon her death earlier in January

James Middleton is the younger brother of Kate, Princess of Wales, and has told the story of how a dog named Ella saved his life.

The business owner, who started a personalised greeting card company, Boomf in 2013, explored the strong bond he had with his cocker spaniel, Ella, in a Sunday Times article over the weekend (Sunday 29 January). He credits Ella with saving his life during his lowest moments as he battled depression for many years.

He had to say goodbye to Ella earlier this month as she died at the age of 15 from kidney failure. The spaniel attended therapy sessions with James to help him feel more comfortable.

"I got this diagnosis and Ella came to all of my therapy sessions, which I was reluctant to go to from the start. But with her by my side, I really became confident in understanding that I had a mental illness,” Middleton said. “I would go as far as to say that I owe Ella my life, and she doesn’t know that."

The healing qualities of a pet are well documented. In a 2019 study from the American Heart Association, researchers connected having a dog with living longer. Analysing dog parents (more than 3 million, in fact) in 10 studies over the course of 70 years, the study revealed that dog parents lived longer and healthier lives than their non-dog-parent counterparts.

According to a study published in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, dog ownership could be particularly beneficial to heart attack and stroke survivors who live alone.

The research, carried out by professors at Uppsala University, examined Swedish residents aged 40 to 85 who experienced a heart attack or stroke between 2001 and 2012.

The study found that people who suffered a heart attack and lived alone were 33 per less likely to die after being released from hospital if they owned a dog. Meanwhile, for stroke victims who were dog owners, the risk of death was 27 per cent lower.

James wrote of Ella: 'I have thought about suicide but never actually contemplated it. My thoughts were stopped short because Ella got in the way.'

He has previously described how Ella ran over to Alizée, who went on to become his wife, at a club in London when they met for the first time in 2014.

James headed over to 'apologise and bring Ella back', and his wife mistook him for a waiter. They married in 2021.

When you're looking after a pet, particularly a dog, there is a certain level of everyday care involved of the animal: feeding, taking to toilet, walking, belly rubs, spending time on play to stimulate their mind, health care and regular vet trips for vaccinations and medicine. These all ensure you are taken away from your own problems or worries as you deal with another living creature.

Scientists have recently proven that dogs love us back the same way we love them by scanning their brains in an MRI machine. This incredible fact means that our love for them is fully reciprocated, which is not always true of humans and other animals, or indeed humans with other humans.

Other famous names who say a dog saved them during their darkest moments include Big Bang star, Kaley Cuoco. The actress called Norman the 'love of [her] life' in November 2019, writing on Instagram: "This guy has saved me in more ways than I can explain. #adoptdontshop."

Cheryl Burke, a professional dancer on US version of Dancing with the Stars, credits her French Bulldog, Ysabella, with saving her life. She relied on her canine companion during difficult times. Burke, who filed for divorce from Matthew Lawrence in February 2022, later found comfort in her dog while navigating her new normal.

"Ysabella, my French bulldog, she saved my life," Burke said in a TikTok video that March. "She has made me leave my chair and go outside into nature. She just reminds me that the world doesn’t revolve around me."