Strictly's Karen Hauer gives heartbreaking insight and says 'I don't know how I would have coped'

Karen Hauer has lived a nomadic life after leaving Venezuela aged eight, but there's four members of her family she describes as her "rocks".

Karen Hauer's life as a professional dancer has seen her travelling the world competing and starring in a range of television shows.

The star has come a long way since leaving her home city of Valencia in Venezuela and moving into a small New York City apartment with her family. Karen, who was eight at the time of the move, described New York as a "concrete jungle".

The Strictly Come Dancing star admits she found the move "very tough", especially as the family had to leave behind their beloved dogs. Karen spent two decades yearning for a pooch in her life.

When she finally managed to settle down, one of the first things Karen wanted to do was get a dog. She now lives in the countryside with rescue dogs Betty, Phoebe, Marley and Joey.

Speaking to The Times last year, she admits the dogs help her get through the highs and lows of life. The 42-year-old described the animals as her "rocks".

She said: "I've been through a lot in my life, and if it wasn't for my dogs I don't know how I would have coped. They got me up every morning and offered me consistency and structure.

"They give me unconditional love and they know when something's wrong. They'll come to you, let you hug them and it's almost like they know not to cause any chaos or anything because you're down."

Karen affectionately refers to Phoebe as her "soulmate". She welcomed the dog into her life after Phoebe suffered a devastating accident as a puppy, resulting in the loss of one of her legs, reports Birmingham Live.

As a dancer, Karen's expertise in movement and exercise proved invaluable in nursing Phoebe back to health. Through diligent research and careful planning, Karen ensured Phoebe's safe interaction with other dogs, fostering an environment where she could thrive.

"Phoebe began to find her confidence and gain strength quickly – it was quite amazing to see," Karen shared. She now describes Phoebe as her "guard dog" and says she "protects" her home.

The dancer says her dogs give her the "flexibility to be vulnerable or strong" as well as discovering things about herself. Karen has previously discussed seeing a "heartbreaking" video of Phoebe on the website of a rescue organisation called Wild at Heart.

Karen saw a picture of the dog and instantly fell in love with her. Speaking to K9 magazine , she said: "There was a video of her too and it was the most heartbreaking video. She had just gotten an operation to remove her leg that was injured after a car drove over her and left her to die at the side of the street."

Karen will be appearing on screens this weekend on The Weakest Link. She will be on BBC One at 7.40pm competing against the likes of Barry McGuigan, Joe Thomas, Elaine C Smith, Tomasz Schafernaker, Vikkstar, Katie Thistleton and Shivi Ramoutar.