An eight-year-old rottweiler who passed away last month is continuing to make an impact in the local dog-walking community after her owners left a box of toys in her name on Prestwick Beach for other pooches to enjoy.

After spending the last year of her life in and out of the Small Animal Hospital in Glasgow, undergoing different surgeries and eventually being diagnosed with pneumonia due to an underlying muscle condition, Kerry Turner and Jordan Campbell were devastated when their beloved family dog, Lola, passed away on Sunday, March 7.

In memory of their pet, the couple decided to journey to Lola’s favourite spot to scatter her ashes but brought with them a special box filled with tennis balls, play-toys and Poo Bags.

Ayr Advertiser: Lola on Prestwick Beach before she passed away.Lola on Prestwick Beach before she passed away.

Kerry said: “For the past year Lola was very poorly. She had a couple of minor surgeries and various other things done to try to get to the root of the problem. They put her on steroids and we were hoping that we would see an improvement in her but in the last few months, she got even more sick.

“She still stayed as happy as she could but her physical wellbeing was so affected, it was so sad. We never wanted to get to a stage where we were keeping her here selfishly. We always looked for signs of her telling us that it was her time.

“The day before my birthday, she was very poorly but the next day she picked up. She even let us take photos with her, which she doesn’t normally do. The day after, she deteriorated massively and that’s when my parents and I had a discussion. We knew Lola was telling us that she’d had enough.

“The box was my boyfriend’s idea as he had seen someone else do it in Glasgow. We went to Prestwick Beach on a lovely, sunny day to scatter her ashes and left the box with some of Lola’s old toys in it as well as new tennis balls and a wee photo of her.

“Lola was the centre of all our worlds. People that didn’t like dogs liked Lola. She had such a wee sparkle about her so it’s been a difficult few weeks coming to terms with life without her.”

Ayr Advertiser: Jack was one dog to pick a ball out of the memorial box.Jack was one dog to pick a ball out of the memorial box.

Elissa Turner’s dog, Jack, was one of the first to benefit from the box. When she posted about the box on social media, it went viral, with people across the country hugely touched by the gesture.

Elissa said: “We were having an evening walk along the beach and Jack went over and picked a ball out the box. It was really sweet. I posted the photo in the hope that the person who had left it might see it and know it was appreciated. I had no idea it was going to go mad.

“Kerry saw it and sent me a message to say she was so pleased. It gave me an opportunity to send my condolences. It was a really nice way to pass on the love.”