Ruth Dodsworth is a British broadcaster and journalist who has been a familiar face on ITV Cymru Wales for nearly three decades. She has been a loyal supporter and friend of Hope Rescue over the past few years, and we’re thrilled to announce that she is now an official Hope Rescue ambassador, sharing our mission and passion for saving stray, abandoned and unwanted dogs.

Ruth joined us at our rescue centre to meet some of our much-loved dogs like Coco and Captain who are looking for their forever home.

Here’s what Ruth has to say about becoming an ambassador:

I am beyond honoured that I am now officially a Hope Rescue ambassador. I have been following Hope’s story for so, so long and supporting, and in a world that isn’t always kind, the love and care the staff and volunteers here give to dogs just like Coco, who have stories and backgrounds and histories and need our help is just absolutely incredible. It gives us all Hope, I think.

What do you find most inspiring about Hope Rescue?

Most inspiring about Hope Rescue is the dogs themselves, dogs like Captain, who come into this place that’s completely strange, people they’ve never met before, and they have to learn to trust the people and the place. It’s the dogs that make this place tick but it’s the people that love the dogs that also make it tick too. It’s that perfect magical combination and everything about Hope Rescue is inspirational.

What’s one thing you wish more people knew about Hope Rescue? 

I wish that more people knew that Hope Rescue was actually here. We’re in Llanharan, in the most tranquil, beautiful part of South Wales. And if you know about something, you care about it. So welcome to Hope Rescue.

And the incredible work that Hope does. I think what kind of gets it for me is that, every dog has a story, every dog has a past, dogs like Coco here […] and they can’t tell us their past but that’s what makes Hope Rescue  so amazing is that every single dog gets that same chance.

 We talked about the dogs at the rescue centre and how most dogs that arrive at Hope Rescue are strays or abandoned. This number has been rising along with fake strays. When we asked Ruth what she would like to achieve with this ambassadorship, this is what she had to say:

Together we can be kinder to them and make this world a better place and use our voice, my voice, my platform, a platform that dogs like Coco don’t have to get that message out there. So, keep fighting the fight on their behalf.

What lead you to be involved with Hope Rescue?

How could you not be involved with Hope Rescue, I’m a mum, I’m a dog lover, possibly fanatic my kids would probably argue. I think I remember seeing in the press a good few years ago now a story about a dog, perhaps just like Coco, and it just caught my heart, it caught me in that moment. These dogs are just beautiful beings, they’re affectionate and they just want that love and that bit of hope. And I think just one story is all it took to capture that imagination, capture that love. I just want to be able to do my little bit and I’ve signed up, I donate monthly, I’ve been involved with the 20^th Anniversary Ball, 20 years of Hope Rescue and I’m looking forward to hosting the ball next March as well. I can’t change the world, but I can do just little bits to help get the message of Hope Rescue out there and it’s actually a real honour to be asked and to be involved.

This year Ruth hosted our 20^th Anniversary Ball, and we’re thrilled to share that she will be joining us on the 28th March 2026 at the Celtic Manor Resort for our next Charity Ball. If you would like to celebrate in style and join us in our fundraising efforts, then click here to find out more.