r r the love of a dog...
READER CONTRIBUTION
Retrieve was like a dirty word...after all
if you were silly enough to throw away a
perfectly good ball or toy it was obviously
your responsibility to get it back...not hers.
Summer meant time wallowing in
the shell pool followed by a signifi cant
amount of rolling to achieve just
the right small scruff y chocolate
bear look...and she was good at it.
We had an arrangement with bones...I
learnt early on to check where she took
them...because some time later she’d
inevitably come and get me and together
we’d have to retrieve (the only kind of
retrieve she approved of) the buried bone
and then it was my job to wash it and
give it back to her to happily take away
and munch on. Strange?...Not at all.
Her toughness and determination to
stay as a part of our lives for as long
as possible never ceased to amaze.
She had more health problems than
you could count on one hand but
nothing ever got her down for long
and she bounced back more times
than it’s possible to remember.
Five years ago snake bite, a king brown
no less, threatened to take her from us
but she was having none of it. She came
back a little less stable in her back legs...
which eventually became seriously
wonky...but she coped and bustled about
enjoying life as only she knew how. As
time went on she needed help with those
wonky legs and we happily provided it
knowing she wasn’t ready to give up yet.
First up were her super sexy ‘hot pants’
which supported her back end when
needed...and then later a lifting harness.
We always knew the time would come
when she would tell us she had to go...
and it was always going to be too soon.
When the time came she let us know...
and it hurt so much to say goodbye.
I’m not sure if I am a believer of the
whole afterlife thing...but if I had the
chance to see all or any of the animals
from my lifetime again, all of whom
were special in their own way, I would
hope that right there front and centre
would be our extra special girl Podge
with her legs no longer wonky and
her signature wiggle well and truly
back and her big pink joyful smile.
She defi nitely had a way of quietly
wrapping herself around your heart
and snuggling in there...and there
she’ll stay no matter what.
There was nothing about her that
I didn’t love. She was my bestest
friend for 12 years and I miss her.
- G.E.GAIGER
Staying toasty warm in the cooler weather
Pet Heaven NQ
Townsville’s Pet Crematorium & Cemetery
Your choice of cremation or burial services
l Collection from your home or vet
l Range of ashes boxes and memorial items
l Pre-Needs and Payment plan available
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4751 3220
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AUGUST 2017 | 61