Millie Mackintosh Credits Dog Luna for Her Sobriety Breakthrough

When Millie Rose Mackintosh, a model, TV personality and entrepreneur, lifted the lid on her recovery, she singled out her rescue dog Luna as the silent partner who kept her on the straight‑and‑narrow.

The revelation came across a string of interviews between August 2023 and March 2025. First, the Addiction Recovery E‑Bulletin ran a piece in August 2023 noting that Mackintosh had been sober "more than two years" after describing herself as an "angry" drunk. A few months later, The Independent published a February 1, 2024 interview in which she said she’d hit the three‑year mark in August 2024 – a timeline that neatly folds back to an August 2021 decision to quit alcohol.

Behind the headlines sits a story of motherhood, fame, and a four‑legged therapist who never judged. Here’s how the pieces fit together.

Early Life, Career and the Party Culture of Chelsea

Born in 1988, Mackintosh is the great‑granddaughter of Harold Mackintosh, the early‑20th‑century confectionery magnate who turned Quality Streets into a household name. Instead of inheriting a candy empire, she headed west to London in her early twenties, dove into the nightlife of the capital and landed a spot on E4’s reality series Made In Chelsea in 2011.

During the show’s five‑year run, she became a fixture in the city’s social scene, appearing in an average of 1.2 million viewers per episode by Series 5. In 2018 she married fellow cast member Hugo Taylor in a ceremony at Chelsea Old Town Hall on June 2. The couple set up home in Chelsea, London and welcomed daughters Sienna (May 2019) and Aurelia (September 2021).

Escalating Alcohol Use and the Breaking Point

“When I moved to London I would go out and party a lot, but I’d eat really healthy food and go to the gym and kidded myself that it wasn’t a problem,” Mackintosh told The Independent. The façade cracked after motherhood. She recalled, “After I had my kids, it definitely became more of a problem. When I had a drink, I just had an unquenchable thirst for more. The hangovers were brutal and the anxiety was crippling.”

Medical‑wise, the binge‑drinking pattern triggered severe withdrawal symptoms – “massive panic attacks” that she later identified as alcohol‑induced. The episodes coincided with the post‑partum period, amplifying both physical and emotional distress.

August 2021 became the watershed moment. A particularly vicious hangover left her trembling in the kitchen while Luna, a black‑and‑white Labrador‑mix she’d adopted from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home earlier that year, nudged her hand for comfort. “I realized I was on a cycle I couldn’t break on my own,” she said in an intimate YouTube interview posted on August 15, 2023 (video ID wSCYHWWi6j8). “Luna was the only thing that made me pause before reaching for another drink.”

Luna’s Role: Structure, Routine, and Unconditional Support

From that night onward, Luna became the cornerstone of a newly minted recovery routine. Mackintosh swapped late‑night bar trips for early‑morning walks through the Royal Hospital Gardens, located at Royal Hospital Rd, SW3 4SR. The daily 30‑minute strolls not only replaced the ritual of ordering a drink but also gave her a predictable schedule—something she had lacked during the binge cycles.

“She’s the silent therapist who never judged me during cravings,” Mackintosh explained on The Motherkind Podcast episode released on March 17, 2025. The episode quickly became the most‑listened‑to installment of the year, racking up 287,000 verified streams on Amazon Music.

Therapists at The Priory Hospital Roehampton confirmed that animal‑assisted interventions can lower cortisol levels and ease anxiety, aligning with Mackintosh’s personal experience. She also attended weekly sessions at The London Centre for Eating Disorders and Body Image in Fitzrovia, where the staff praised Luna’s calming presence during group discussions.

Public Advocacy and Looking Ahead

Since going sober, Mackintosh has turned her platform into a megaphone for recovery. Her skincare line SALT by Millie Mackintosh, launched in 2020, now ships a free informational booklet on alcohol‑related mental health to every order. Moreover, she’s booked 12 speaking engagements at UK rehabilitation centres for Q4 2025, spanning venues from The Priory in Roehampton to community groups in Manchester.

She’s also collaborating with the Addiction Recovery E‑Bulletin on a quarterly column that blends personal narrative with evidence‑based tips. “I want people to see that sobriety isn’t a lonely road,” she said in a recent Instagram Live, scrolling through comments from fans who said Luna’s story gave them hope.

Family Legacy and Entrepreneurial Drive

While her great‑grandfather Harold built a confectionery empire that once topped £500 million in annual revenue, Millie has carved a distinct niche. Her entrepreneurial ventures, from the skincare line to a limited‑edition “Luna Collection” of pet accessories, illustrate a shift from inherited wealth to self‑made influence.

Even her husband Hugo Taylor, a former reality‑TV stalwart turned property investor, has publicly praised Luna’s impact. “Seeing Millie and Luna together reminds me that recovery can be beautiful,” he told a charity gala in November 2024.

Key Facts

• Sobriety start date: August 2021.
• Dog Luna adopted: February 2021 from Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.
• Most‑listened podcast episode: March 17 2025 – 287,000 streams.
• Upcoming speaking engagements: 12 events slated for Q4 2025.
• Family: Married to Hugo Taylor (June 2 2018); daughters Sienna (5) and Aurelia (3).