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Your real-life animal <strong>mag</strong><br />
ME!FREE<br />
MINI<br />
TRY<br />
ME!<br />
<strong>Pets</strong><br />
MAG<br />
Amazing<br />
real-life pet<br />
stories<br />
+<br />
Fab prizes,<br />
puzzles and<br />
discounts<br />
+<br />
Top vet<br />
and trainer<br />
advice<br />
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Fun<br />
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quizzes,<br />
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facts &<br />
MORE<br />
photos<br />
OUT<br />
EVERY<br />
MONTH
We’re<br />
POTTY<br />
Our <strong>Pets</strong>... Our Photos... Our Fun!<br />
about our<br />
<strong>Pets</strong><br />
Kitty keepsake<br />
To mark our marvellous moggy<br />
turning the grand old age of 16,<br />
we had this paw-trait painted of<br />
her. I think it’s a rather striking<br />
likeness of Peaches, don’t you?<br />
Ellie Parlak,<br />
Saltburn-by-the-Sea, N Yorks<br />
Happy snappers<br />
I adore this smiley selfie of my son<br />
Matt, 20, and our nine-year-old<br />
Rhodesian ridgeback, Molly.<br />
Doesn’t our photogenic pooch<br />
look like she’s enjoying life?<br />
Elizabeth Hare, Wirral, Merseyside<br />
Canny cats<br />
Seven-month-old Noah and<br />
three-month-old Nala are not only<br />
pretty kitties, but they’re sharp as<br />
tacks too. The impressive pair love<br />
to learn. So far, I’ve taught them<br />
how to sit, present their paws and<br />
give a high-five, and I have grand<br />
plans for the future.<br />
Ashlee Curtis, Dartford, Kent<br />
Bedtime routine<br />
Before napping, my 16-monthold<br />
Saluki, Rana, likes to get a<br />
pillow or cushion — then she’ll<br />
rest her head on it and drift off.<br />
It just melts my heart!<br />
Graham Steer,<br />
Wangford, Suffolk<br />
Snake in<br />
the grass<br />
I work in a pet store, and in<br />
2018 we had a Carolina corn<br />
snake delivered. He was placid<br />
and a gorgeous colour, and I<br />
was determined to find him the<br />
perfect owner. But almost two<br />
years on, he was still looking.<br />
So, I decided the best home for<br />
him was with me! Now Nagini<br />
fits in really well with my<br />
animal family, which includes<br />
ring-necked parakeet, Molly,<br />
springer spaniel, Sophie, and<br />
my freshwater fish.<br />
Kym Goodhand,<br />
Peterborough, Cambs<br />
Paw-fect to me<br />
Meet nine-week-old Ragdoll<br />
kitten, Anne Boleyn. It’s been<br />
rumoured the famous queen<br />
had six fingers on her right<br />
hand, and as my kitty has<br />
seven claws on one front paw<br />
and six on the other (five on<br />
each is the norm), I thought<br />
the name was fitting!<br />
Rose Forsyth,<br />
Southwark, London<br />
Paddles and<br />
puddles<br />
Four-year-old Reggie the<br />
cockapoo is a real water baby.<br />
He adores nothing more than<br />
going paddleboarding with me.<br />
He’s a mud monster too! It can<br />
be the driest of days, but he’ll<br />
still somehow find a muddy<br />
puddle to roll in.<br />
Suzanne Sheen,<br />
Garston, Liverpool<br />
Happy<br />
hopper<br />
My three-year-old rabbit<br />
Colleen really lives the<br />
life. She spends her<br />
days munching, sleeping<br />
and playing in her<br />
favourite tunnel toy. I<br />
adore her — nobunny<br />
compares!<br />
Louise Wiggs,<br />
Stevenage, Herts<br />
Peggy in the middle<br />
Peggy, my gorgeous guinea pig, had a blast<br />
marking her third birthday with her furry<br />
friends Pixie (left) and Primrose. Not only did<br />
she get a new teddy bear, she also chomped<br />
her way through a delicious watermelon cake<br />
— her favourite fruit!<br />
Gemma Mcgregor, Halifax, W Yorks<br />
£25<br />
paid<br />
per item<br />
used<br />
Ratty reunion<br />
After my eight-month-old<br />
rat Lychee was spayed for<br />
hormonal aggression, she<br />
needed to be kept on her<br />
own for 10 days until she was<br />
fully healed. This sweet snap<br />
shows her reuniting with one<br />
of her cage mates. I think<br />
21-month-old Cream missed<br />
her buddy, as it looks like<br />
she’s giving her a hug!<br />
Jessie Parrott,<br />
Hemel Hempstead, Herts<br />
Have you got a<br />
picture for these<br />
pages? Send us your<br />
photos and stories,<br />
with all names, ages,<br />
your address and phone<br />
number to pets@<br />
bauermedia.co.uk<br />
Please make photos<br />
exclusive to us.*<br />
4 Take a Break <strong>Pets</strong> Edited by Joe Brothwell By submitting an item to this page you are agreeing to the <strong>mag</strong>azine publishing your full name, age, town and photo. *See T&Cs on p73.<br />
5<br />
Take a Break <strong>Pets</strong>
Our pets<br />
There’s something<br />
about MINTY<br />
Minty<br />
When the world gets too much for my son Connor, his<br />
special friend is there like a shot… By Siobhan Cobb, 32<br />
I<br />
parked up, then headed<br />
into the veterinary practice<br />
to begin my nursing shift.<br />
As I entered one of the<br />
treatment rooms, my boss<br />
whispered: ‘Quick, close the<br />
door.’<br />
She explained a rather timid<br />
stray cat had just been brought<br />
in and was currently hiding.<br />
‘He was found scrounging for<br />
food in bins outside The<br />
Imperial Hotel,’ she told me.<br />
Because of that, my boss<br />
had called the puss Minty. I<br />
repeated his name, and it was<br />
as if he understood, as at that<br />
moment, a small black and<br />
white fluffball peeked out from<br />
behind a filing cabinet.<br />
‘He’s gorgeous,’ I said.<br />
I could see right away that<br />
Minty had been through the<br />
wars. He was skinny and a<br />
little nervous. But it was his<br />
striking eyes that really<br />
grabbed my attention. I’d never<br />
seen anything like them. One<br />
was a piercing green, while the<br />
other was sky blue.<br />
From studying his teeth, we<br />
could see he was no more than<br />
two years old, and besides<br />
being underweight, he<br />
was in OK health.<br />
But that wasn’t<br />
the only thing I<br />
noticed.<br />
Minty<br />
wasn’t a<br />
black and<br />
white<br />
moggy —<br />
the dark<br />
splodges<br />
Best<br />
buddies<br />
on his fur were actually oil<br />
stains.<br />
I tried to get the worst of it<br />
off, then said: ‘There, much<br />
better.’<br />
As Minty wasn’t<br />
microchipped, we kept him at<br />
the clinic while we tried to find<br />
out if he had an owner.<br />
At first, he was a scaredy cat.<br />
Though he never scratched or<br />
hissed, he shied away from<br />
any human interaction.<br />
But as days passed, he grew<br />
more confident, and I grew<br />
more and more fond of him. He<br />
would follow me around at<br />
work, affectionately brushing<br />
against my shins.<br />
When it became clear Minty<br />
was ownerless, I had my heart<br />
set on adopting him.<br />
‘What do you reckon?’ I<br />
asked my partner Dean.<br />
He was all for it,<br />
and soon Minty was<br />
ruling the roost at<br />
ours.<br />
Shortly after, I<br />
fell pregnant, and<br />
before we knew it,<br />
Dean and I were<br />
heading home from<br />
hospital with our first<br />
baby, Connor.<br />
Initially, I<br />
worried how<br />
Minty would<br />
take to<br />
having to<br />
share the<br />
limelight<br />
and<br />
separated<br />
him from<br />
Connor<br />
and Minty<br />
‘We<br />
need to<br />
take him to<br />
the practice<br />
now’<br />
Connor as much as I could.<br />
But I needn’t have been<br />
concerned. Minty was so<br />
gentle around our<br />
precious bundle and<br />
wasn’t fazed by<br />
crying. If anything,<br />
he just wanted to<br />
be part of the<br />
action, and would<br />
peacefully stand by<br />
as I changed Connor.<br />
When Connor was eight<br />
days old, I rose in the early<br />
hours to feed him. Cradling him<br />
close, I headed downstairs to<br />
the living room. Only then I saw<br />
something shocking.<br />
There was a trail of blood<br />
going across the floor, leading<br />
under the settee. I placed<br />
Connor down and knelt to take<br />
a closer look.<br />
Then I cried: ‘Dean, come<br />
here!’<br />
Swaddled in a throw was<br />
Minty, and he was in a bad way.<br />
He wasn’t moving and his white<br />
fur was slick with red.<br />
As carefully as I could, I<br />
brought him out into the room,<br />
and noticed a bone protruding<br />
from his left hind leg.<br />
‘It must’ve been a car,’ Dean<br />
said, hand clasped to his mouth.<br />
We lived near a bypass, and<br />
reasoned Minty must’ve been<br />
hit, then somehow limped back<br />
home, taken a blanket from the<br />
sofa, and then curled up<br />
underneath it.<br />
‘We need to take him to the<br />
practice now,’ I said.<br />
Deep down, I feared the<br />
worst. But at work, I was<br />
proved wrong, and our brave<br />
boy started to come around.<br />
‘Thank goodness,’ I said.<br />
An X-ray revealed Minty had<br />
broken his hipbone and leg in<br />
multiple places.<br />
When he was strong enough,<br />
he was transferred to a<br />
specialist, who fixed his hip<br />
joint and pinned his leg in<br />
place.<br />
‘Now he needs lots of rest,’<br />
Minty’s surgeon told me.<br />
Caring for a demanding<br />
newborn and ensuring Minty<br />
had everything he needed was<br />
exhausting. Dean and I had<br />
many sleepless nights, but we<br />
managed to struggle through.<br />
Only, during one of Minty’s<br />
follow-ups, we were given<br />
upsetting news. The blood<br />
supply to his back left leg had<br />
been too badly da<strong>mag</strong>ed, and<br />
the only option was to have it<br />
amputated.<br />
Thankfully, all the vets and<br />
nurses we dealt with were<br />
incredible and the operation<br />
was a success.<br />
After a couple of wobbly<br />
weeks, Minty got used to<br />
getting around on three legs.<br />
Soon, he was prowling<br />
around as he’d always done.<br />
Only, while he was on the<br />
mend, I was growing increasingly<br />
worried about Connor.<br />
He often refused to feed and<br />
was difficult to settle,<br />
sometimes screaming so<br />
much he stopped<br />
breathing.<br />
‘Something’s not<br />
right,’ I said to<br />
Dean.<br />
Initially, doctors<br />
thought I was an<br />
overprotective new<br />
mum. But as my<br />
little boy grew, it<br />
became clear he wasn’t<br />
like other tots his age. He<br />
wasn’t meeting his milestones.<br />
Eventually, he was diagnosed<br />
with severe learning difficulties<br />
and a range of medical<br />
conditions including cerebral<br />
palsy, which affected his<br />
physical, mental and emotional<br />
development.<br />
Dean and I loved our amazing<br />
boy, but day-to-day life became<br />
challenging. When things got<br />
‘Minty’s<br />
showing<br />
him how<br />
to do<br />
it!’<br />
too much for Connor, he<br />
started having meltdowns,<br />
screaming until he wore<br />
himself out. Intervening only<br />
made things worse and going<br />
out with him became difficult.<br />
But during one of his<br />
episodes, something<br />
unexpected happened.<br />
Minty padded over to a<br />
shrieking Connor and nuzzled<br />
his face against my boy’s<br />
hand. And it was as if<br />
he had pressed the<br />
off button. Within<br />
seconds, Connor<br />
had calmed himself<br />
and was happily<br />
stroking his furry<br />
friend.<br />
After that, Minty<br />
was there like a flash<br />
whenever he heard his<br />
two-legged bestie in distress.<br />
‘It’s astounding,’ friends and<br />
family said when they saw<br />
Minty in action.<br />
No one could explain it.<br />
I thought there must be<br />
something innate in Minty to<br />
want to help Connor and, as my<br />
boy responded well to sensory<br />
stimulation, stroking our cat’s<br />
soft fur helped him to relax.<br />
As time passed, Minty’s<br />
extraordinary bond with<br />
Connor showed itself in<br />
other ways.<br />
The puss would curl by<br />
him at mealtimes to help<br />
soothe him. And after<br />
Minty and I tucked<br />
Connor in, the kitty would<br />
wait outside his bedroom<br />
until he was sure he’d<br />
drifted off.<br />
One morning, Dean<br />
and I were trying to<br />
teach Connor to climb<br />
the stairs of our house,<br />
when Minty joined us.<br />
As we stood behind<br />
our boy to catch him,<br />
Minty positioned himself<br />
in front of Connor.<br />
Then he jumped up<br />
one step, and turned<br />
around, as if to say:<br />
‘That’s how you do it.<br />
Come on, Connor, I<br />
believe in you!’<br />
Minty then waited<br />
there until Connor<br />
tottered up to the next<br />
step. Then the patient<br />
puss did the same thing<br />
again.<br />
‘Minty’s showing him<br />
how to do it!’ Dean cheered.<br />
An hour later, Connor reached<br />
the landing, and Minty had<br />
been there every step of the<br />
way.<br />
The connection between the<br />
pair was unbelievable, so when<br />
a colleague suggested I enter<br />
them in the charity Cats<br />
Protection’s National Cat<br />
Awards — which celebrates<br />
fabulous felines — I decided to<br />
give it a go.<br />
Now six-year-old Connor and<br />
Minty, who we believe is around<br />
eight, are as close as ever and<br />
have just been announced as<br />
the overall winners at the<br />
National Cat Awards!<br />
It’s been wonderful for more<br />
people to learn about their<br />
remarkable relationship.<br />
My son’s conditions mean he<br />
can be very loud, unsteady and<br />
clumsy. Many pets would keep<br />
their distance, but not Minty –<br />
when Connor’s most in need,<br />
our fantastic feline is there like<br />
a shot.<br />
Quite simply, I don’t know<br />
what we’d do without him.<br />
● To find out more about Cats<br />
Protection, visit cats.org.uk<br />
6 Take a Break <strong>Pets</strong><br />
Edited by Joe Brothwell Take a Break <strong>Pets</strong> 7<br />
Connor, me<br />
and Minty<br />
Photos: PA
Pet report<br />
10<br />
Babe<br />
An adaptation of the 1983 novel The Sheep-Pig by Dick<br />
King-Smith, Babe hit the silver screen in 1995, and the<br />
titular trotter soon won audiences over. The film grossed<br />
eight times its budget, and won a host of awards, including<br />
an Oscar for Best Visual Effects.<br />
The plucky piglet struck such a chord, there was a spike<br />
in people turning vegetarian after the film’s release. In<br />
fact, actor James Cromwell became a vegan as a result<br />
of starring as Babe’s owner Farmer Hoggett.<br />
Sadly, the piggy’s second foray into moviedom wasn’t as<br />
successful. Babe: Pig in the City came out in 1998, and<br />
was labelled a box office bomb.<br />
9<br />
Sid from Ice Age<br />
The accident-prone sloth, voiced by John Leguizamo, is such a<br />
fan favourite that he’s been in all five Ice Age movies. And it’s easy<br />
to see why he’s so beloved. He might be dim-witted at times, but<br />
the buck-toothed critter is loyal to a fault, and often cares for<br />
younger creatures of different species. One of his most famous<br />
lines is: ‘Doesn’t anyone care about Sid the Sloth?’ And his<br />
top-10 placing shows the answer is a resounding yes!<br />
Dory from Finding Nemo<br />
Safe to say 2003’s Finding Nemo is something of a<br />
phenomenon. Not only has the movie grossed almost<br />
one billion dollars, but it’s the best-selling DVD of all<br />
time. And the star of the underwater show has to be<br />
Dory, a regal blue tang who suffers from short-term<br />
memory loss. In fact, the character was such a draw,<br />
Ellen DeGeneres reprised her role as the fantastic fish 13<br />
years later for the even bigger blockbuster, Finding Dory.<br />
TOP 10 MOVIE<br />
8<br />
ANIMALS<br />
6<br />
7<br />
Peter Rabbit<br />
The carrot-stealing bunny first<br />
appeared in a Beatrix Potter<br />
children’s book in 1902. But it<br />
wasn’t until well over a century<br />
later that the iconic hopper<br />
enjoyed his big-screen debut.<br />
Despite critics not being terribly<br />
kind to the 2018 live-action/<br />
computer-animated comedy,<br />
simply called Peter Rabbit,<br />
audiences lapped it up.<br />
James Corden reprised his<br />
voice role as Peter Rabbit for Peter<br />
Rabbit 2: The Runaway earlier this<br />
year, and a third film is in the works.<br />
Lady from<br />
Lady and<br />
the Tramp<br />
Inspired by a 1945<br />
<strong>mag</strong>azine story called<br />
Happy Dan, The Cynical<br />
Dog, Disney’s Lady and<br />
the Tramp tells the<br />
story of respectable<br />
cocker spaniel, Lady, as<br />
she meets and falls for<br />
the stray mutt, Tramp.<br />
The original movie<br />
may have recently<br />
celebrated its 66th<br />
birthday, but there’s still<br />
a lot of love for Lady<br />
and her pup pals<br />
around — as her 7th<br />
place indicates.<br />
Photos: Alamy<br />
1<br />
Donkey from Shrek<br />
Masterfully voiced by Eddie Murphy, Shrek’s<br />
fast-talking sidekick, Donkey, provides<br />
audiences with the biggest laughs in all four<br />
of the ogre films he appears in.<br />
Whether it’s him rebuffing the affections<br />
of an enamoured dragon or singing Disco<br />
Inferno on Far Far Away Idol, the computeranimated<br />
animal is always on hand to give<br />
the giggles.<br />
And his mixture of childish humour and<br />
more risqué quips ensures he appeals to all<br />
cine<strong>mag</strong>oers. So, it’s no wonder that he’s<br />
been crowned the UK’s favourite movie<br />
animal of all time!<br />
22 Take a Break <strong>Pets</strong> Take a Break <strong>Pets</strong> 23<br />
Edited by Joe Brothwell<br />
2 Bambi<br />
As well as the nation’s top 10 movie animals,<br />
the Showcase Cinemas poll also revealed<br />
the saddest big-screen animal death. With<br />
37 per cent of the votes, the shooting of<br />
Bambi’s mother came in at number one.<br />
The moment is particularly shocking and<br />
poignant, as much of the beginning of the<br />
film focuses on Bambi’s close relationship<br />
with his mum. Perhaps it’s one reason that<br />
Bambi as a character, and the beautifully<br />
animated movie as a whole, has had an<br />
ongoing appeal since 1942.<br />
A recent survey conducted by Showcase Cinemas discovered the<br />
UK’s favourite big-screen critter ever. We countdown the results…<br />
3<br />
Baloo<br />
from The<br />
Jungle Book<br />
The carefree Bare Necessities<br />
crooner we see in Disney’s<br />
1967 animated film is a<br />
far cry from the ‘strict<br />
teacher’ depicted in<br />
Rudyard Kipling’s original<br />
1894 novel.But it seems<br />
that the character<br />
changes were the right<br />
decision, as Baloo is<br />
now one of the<br />
best-known and<br />
best-loved animated<br />
characters ever.<br />
4<br />
Simba from<br />
The Lion King<br />
The Lion King broke records<br />
when it came out in 1994.<br />
Not only was it the biggest of<br />
the year, but it’s also still the<br />
highest-grossing traditionally<br />
animated film of all time.<br />
The incredible soundtrack<br />
and storyline moved moviegoers<br />
both young and old.<br />
But it was the character of<br />
Simba, and the relationship<br />
he had with his father, that<br />
really resonated.<br />
And it clearly stuck with<br />
people, as Simba just missed<br />
out on a top-three position.<br />
5 Lassie<br />
Since Eric Knight published his short story<br />
Lassie Come-Home in 1940, the heroic collie<br />
has been a part of popular culture.There have<br />
been TV series, novels, comics and multiple<br />
movies made about the fictional pup.<br />
The first pooch to portray Lassie on the<br />
silver screen was Pal in 1943, and when he<br />
retired, a succession of his ancestors took<br />
over. The last Lassie movie was as recent<br />
as 2020, and currently she’s one of only<br />
four animals to have a star on the<br />
Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Our pets<br />
life…QUICK TAILS<br />
Three readers tell us<br />
about special animals<br />
in their<br />
Denver with<br />
the deer<br />
Hill squawker<br />
As I packed a rucksack<br />
for our outing, I was<br />
bombarded by a<br />
barrage of questions.<br />
‘Are we going in the car? Are<br />
we going to the beach?’ my<br />
fellow day tripper asked. ‘Are<br />
we going over the bridge? Can<br />
I have walnut?’<br />
You’d be forgiven for<br />
thinking I was heading out<br />
with a particularly inquisitive<br />
child with a penchant for nuts.<br />
But the source of my<br />
interrogation was actually my<br />
African grey parrot, Piper.<br />
I’d welcomed my feathered<br />
friend into my home when he<br />
was just 12 weeks old. Keen<br />
for him to see as much of the<br />
world as possible, I’d got him<br />
used to wearing a harness<br />
when he was still young.<br />
It had an 80ft lead and<br />
meant we could go for walks<br />
together and Piper was able to<br />
choose whether he wanted to<br />
sit on my shoulder or fly<br />
above me.<br />
Shortly after he turned one,<br />
Piper said his first word,<br />
‘hello’.<br />
And from that moment it’s<br />
safe to say he found his voice.<br />
Piper wouldn’t pipe down!<br />
Whether it was greeting<br />
passers-by,<br />
emulating<br />
sirens from<br />
the nearby<br />
police station,<br />
or asking me<br />
‘where are the<br />
birds?’, it was<br />
non-stop.<br />
One time, he<br />
managed to get<br />
Alexa to call my<br />
mobile and left<br />
a five-minute<br />
voicemail asking<br />
me to bring<br />
home apples and walnuts!<br />
The cheeky so-and-so also<br />
liked to cheer for the<br />
opposing team when my<br />
partner Alan and I were<br />
watching football.<br />
Piper was such a character<br />
and whenever we were out<br />
and about, people gravitated<br />
towards him, wanting photos<br />
or to know more.<br />
But now five-year-old Piper<br />
and I were going on a rather<br />
special adventure. Slinging my<br />
backpack over my shoulders,<br />
Piper perched on one of the<br />
straps, and we<br />
headed to the car.<br />
One of our<br />
favourite things to<br />
Lara with Piper<br />
do was go hiking together,<br />
and so far, we’d scaled six<br />
mountains.<br />
But today was a biggie.<br />
When we reached the<br />
bottom of Ben Nevis, I turned<br />
to my parrot pal and said: ‘Are<br />
you ready?’<br />
Luckily, it was a fine day, as<br />
Piper didn’t like wind or rain,<br />
and we made good progress.<br />
When we reached the top, it<br />
felt such an achievement. And<br />
it was made even more<br />
wonderful by a group of<br />
children who were overjoyed<br />
to meet a real-life parrot!<br />
Now, I’m on the lookout for<br />
our next escapade.<br />
Whatever it is, I know that<br />
Piper will have<br />
something to say<br />
about it.<br />
But while he<br />
may sometimes<br />
drive me up<br />
the wall, I do<br />
adore my<br />
wordy birdy!<br />
From Lara<br />
Mitchell, 51 ,<br />
of Dundee<br />
On top of<br />
Ben Nevis<br />
Wheels of<br />
fortune<br />
I<br />
was playing with my<br />
excitable puppy pug in the<br />
living room, when I noticed<br />
something odd.<br />
It was as though fourmonth-old<br />
Yuna’s back legs<br />
occasionally stopped working<br />
and she had to pull herself<br />
forward with her front two.<br />
‘It doesn’t look right,’ I said<br />
to my partner Chris.<br />
The vet prescribed pain<br />
relief, but sadly our pooch<br />
deteriorated. Then a scan<br />
revealed she had something<br />
called hemivertebra. It meant<br />
she had a deformity in her<br />
spine that was crushing her<br />
spinal cord, causing paralysis.<br />
Left untreated, her mobility<br />
would get worse and worse.<br />
Only, two operations to pin<br />
her spine in place did more<br />
harm than good. She was not<br />
only left with limited use of<br />
her hind legs but was now in<br />
pain too.<br />
‘I hate seeing her like this,’<br />
I said to Chris.<br />
Desperate, we sought<br />
specialist advice, and were<br />
put in touch with The<br />
Supervet, Noel Fitzpatrick.<br />
We were so grateful when<br />
he managed to rectify the<br />
da<strong>mag</strong>e done by the<br />
operations.<br />
Afterwards, a pain-free Yuna<br />
had regular hydro-, laser- and<br />
physiotherapy to strengthen<br />
her back legs.<br />
But while we saw progress,<br />
our poor pooch still struggled<br />
to get around. Some days<br />
were better than others, but<br />
mostly she crawled around<br />
using her front legs.<br />
As a result, I often took her<br />
out in a special pup pram.<br />
In the meantime, I<br />
researched ways to improve<br />
my precious girl’s quality of<br />
life online.<br />
It was a struggle finding<br />
anything UK-based, but I did<br />
come across a US company<br />
that made wheels for dogs.<br />
They didn’t come cheap,<br />
but Chris and I would have<br />
done anything for Yuna.<br />
‘Let’s give them a go,’ we<br />
agreed.<br />
I ordered the correct size<br />
for my petite pooch, then<br />
waited for the contraption<br />
to arrive.<br />
When it did, it was<br />
surprisingly easy to<br />
fit, and Yuna didn’t<br />
seem too fazed by it.<br />
‘Good girl,’ I said.<br />
Then Chris and I<br />
waited...<br />
At first, Yuna took<br />
a few tentative<br />
steps forward.<br />
Then she looked<br />
at us, as if realising<br />
she could finally go<br />
where she wanted,<br />
and began racing<br />
around.<br />
She was ecstatic<br />
and it was a very<br />
emotional moment.<br />
Yuna’s new wheels had<br />
such a positive impact, it<br />
inspired me and Chris to take<br />
over a nearby business, Palin<br />
and Way Pet Supplies.<br />
Now, as well as selling<br />
animal products, we fit and<br />
sell wheels for critters in<br />
need, from dogs to cats to<br />
ducks to goats!<br />
No furry or feathered friend<br />
should be written off because<br />
they have a disability. Every<br />
animal deserves a chance.<br />
From Matt Goldsmith, 41,<br />
of Paignton, Devon<br />
Deer-y<br />
me!<br />
My husband<br />
Denver and I<br />
were enjoying<br />
a cosy night in with a<br />
Chinese takeaway, when<br />
we received a frantic<br />
phone call from our<br />
24-year-old son Chris.<br />
He had been walking<br />
with his fiancée and<br />
their two dogs at a<br />
nearby nature reserve and<br />
spotted something concerning.<br />
‘We’ve just seen a deer fall<br />
into the water,’ he said down<br />
the line. ‘I think he’s drowning.’<br />
They were at an area of the<br />
Leeds-Liverpool canal just 400<br />
metres from our house and,<br />
without a second thought,<br />
Denver and I sprang into<br />
action.<br />
Leaving our prawn crackers<br />
untouched, we headed down<br />
there. On the way out, I<br />
grabbed some towels and our<br />
dog’s lead, thinking they may<br />
come in handy.<br />
We soon reached the scene,<br />
and my son had been right. A<br />
young roebuck was in the canal<br />
and struggling to keep his head<br />
above water.<br />
The walls surrounding the<br />
deer were too high for him to<br />
climb out, and without<br />
assistance it was clear he would<br />
drown.<br />
We’ve got to do something,<br />
I thought.<br />
But my husband had already<br />
whipped off his top and dived<br />
into the algae-filled waters.<br />
Moments later, Chris joined him.<br />
I watched on tenterhooks as<br />
the pair tried to get our dog’s<br />
lead around the roebuck’s<br />
neck, so there would be<br />
something for onlookers to<br />
haul the majestic beast up by.<br />
Eventually they managed to<br />
loop it around him, but he kept<br />
slipping through their grasp.<br />
After 25 minutes, and a lot of<br />
near misses, Chris and Denver<br />
finally managed to swim the<br />
deer to the edge of the canal<br />
where he was hoisted up on to<br />
dry land.<br />
After getting the lead off him,<br />
and calming him down, the<br />
roebuck got to his feet as<br />
though nothing had happened.<br />
Then the lovely creature gave<br />
us a quick glance, as if to say<br />
thank you, and galloped off<br />
into the woods.<br />
Handing Denver and Chris<br />
towels, I said: ‘You were<br />
amazing!’<br />
I had filmed the entire rescue<br />
mission, and afterwards I<br />
uploaded it to social media,<br />
where the pair were hailed as<br />
heroes. And I couldn’t agree<br />
more!<br />
I’m so proud of my boys.<br />
From Julie Kendall, 54, of<br />
Wigan, Gtr Manchester<br />
Together<br />
10 Take a Break <strong>Pets</strong><br />
Edited by Joe Brothwell Take a Break <strong>Pets</strong> 11<br />
Yuna<br />
Matt and Yuna<br />
Julie and Denver<br />
Photos: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS
Cookery<br />
Let’s get<br />
When prepared the<br />
correct way, some fruits<br />
can be a tasty and<br />
healthy snack for dogs<br />
Did you know that certain fruits make great<br />
additions to your dog’s diet?<br />
That being said, many common fruits are toxic<br />
to pooches, and if you don’t know what they are,<br />
you might accidentally be giving your pet a treat that<br />
could harm them.<br />
Here, experts at tailored dog food subscription<br />
tails.com share what is and isn’t safe for our four-legged<br />
friends to eat…<br />
Which fruits are<br />
safe for dogs?<br />
Apples: High in fibre and low in<br />
fat, apples make a delicious<br />
doggy snack. However, only<br />
serve the skin and flesh as<br />
apple pips contain traces of<br />
cyanide, a substance that’s<br />
toxic to dogs (and humans —<br />
but we’re big enough to tolerate<br />
the amount in a pip or two).<br />
Bananas: Bananas cram a lot<br />
of nutrition into a small dogfriendly<br />
package. They’re full of<br />
potassium, fibre, beta-carotene,<br />
vitamins C and E, lutein and<br />
selenium. Always remove the<br />
peel and serve in moderation<br />
to avoid giving your dog too<br />
much sugar.<br />
Blueberries, blackberries and<br />
raspberries: High in vitamins<br />
C, E and K, and packed with<br />
antioxidants like anthocyanin,<br />
berries are great nutritional allrounders.<br />
Blueberries contain<br />
good levels of B vitamins like<br />
folate and B6, too, while<br />
blackberries are a great source<br />
of potassium and <strong>mag</strong>nesium.<br />
Meanwhile, raspberries are<br />
sweet, without being too<br />
calorific — great for dogs on a<br />
weight management diet.<br />
Strawberries: These<br />
Wimbledon favourites are full of<br />
health-boosting antioxidants.<br />
But strawberries are also<br />
higher in sugar than other<br />
FRUITY!<br />
berries, so it’s important<br />
to serve them in small<br />
amounts. Fresh and<br />
frozen are the same<br />
nutritionally, so see<br />
what your dog<br />
prefers.<br />
Pears: Full of vitamin<br />
C, and packed with<br />
fibre, pears are<br />
another safe snack<br />
option. But as with<br />
apples, it’s important<br />
to remove the<br />
cyanide-carrying pips<br />
first.<br />
Tomatoes:<br />
Refreshing and full of<br />
vitamins, they’re safe<br />
to serve in<br />
moderation. But it’s<br />
important to wait until<br />
they’re fully ripe, as<br />
tomatoes contain low<br />
levels of solanine, a<br />
poisonous compound<br />
that can affect the<br />
digestive and nervous<br />
system. The levels of<br />
toxin decline as the fruit<br />
ripens.<br />
Apricots, peaches and<br />
plums: These squishy summer<br />
fruits are fine to give your dog,<br />
but the stone is poisonous, so<br />
never serve them whole. All<br />
three are bursting with<br />
antioxidants — like chlorogenic<br />
acid — and are rich in vitamins<br />
C, E, K, as well as B vitamins<br />
and potassium.<br />
Which fruits<br />
are harmful to<br />
dogs?<br />
Citrus fruits: Whole citrus<br />
fruits can cause some<br />
digestive upset if fed in large<br />
amounts, so oranges, lemons,<br />
limes and grapefruit are all<br />
worth avoiding.<br />
Grapes, raisins and currants:<br />
Nobody knows quite why these<br />
fruits are so dangerous — the<br />
leading theory is that they can<br />
contain traces of a mould that’s<br />
toxic to dogs. Whatever the<br />
cause, they’ve been linked to<br />
symptoms as severe as kidney<br />
failure, so they’re definitely to<br />
be avoided.<br />
Other dried fruit: When fruit is<br />
dried, the sugars get<br />
concentrated, making dried<br />
fruits like dates, figs<br />
and apricots too high in<br />
sugar for dogs. The fresh<br />
versions are mostly OK,<br />
except grapes, which are<br />
harmful however they’re<br />
prepared.<br />
Hedgerow berries: While<br />
some berries are nutrientpacked<br />
and safe, a lot of<br />
the ones you’ll see on<br />
your walks are far less<br />
friendly. Rowan, holly,<br />
juniper and elderberries<br />
are all harmful or<br />
poisonous, so if you see<br />
your dog making a beeline<br />
for a berry-dotted hedge,<br />
intervene.<br />
How can I<br />
introduce fruit<br />
into my dog’s<br />
diet?<br />
Make sure it’s dog-friendly:<br />
Before giving a new fruit to your<br />
four-legged friend, double-check<br />
it’s on the list of foods dogs<br />
can eat.<br />
Check for mould: Only let your<br />
dog eat fruit that’s fresh —<br />
mouldy fruit is as bad for dogs<br />
as it is for us. If you have fruit<br />
trees, keep your dog away at<br />
harvest time, so they don’t<br />
accidentally eat any spoilt or<br />
infested fruit that’s fallen on<br />
the ground.<br />
Prepare it carefully:<br />
Thoroughly wash or remove the<br />
peel from any fruit you’re giving<br />
your dog — just as you would if<br />
you were eating it yourself.<br />
Introduce it gradually: Even<br />
if food is safe to give your dog,<br />
serving a bowlful straightaway<br />
can lead to an upset stomach.<br />
To avoid any unpleasant<br />
reactions, give your dog a small<br />
piece to try, then increase to a<br />
snack-size amount over time.<br />
Serve in moderation: Fruit<br />
can be good for your dog in<br />
small quantities but serving<br />
too much can have the<br />
opposite effect. Be especially<br />
careful with high-sugar fruits<br />
like strawberries and bananas.<br />
● For more information, visit<br />
tails.com/gb/range/our-dogfood<br />
Orchard Fruit<br />
Flapjacks<br />
This scrummy flapjack recipe,<br />
from The Happy Dog Cookbook<br />
(£14.99, amazon.co.uk), is a<br />
great high-reward fruity treat.<br />
They’re howlingly good for<br />
humans and hounds alike and<br />
are ideal for long walks as<br />
they provide a slow-release<br />
energy hit.<br />
There’s a zingy bit of ginger<br />
too, which can help sensitive<br />
tummies.<br />
Ingredients<br />
✔ 200g rolled oats<br />
✔ 1 apple, cored and grated<br />
✔ 20 ripe blackberries<br />
✔ 1½tbsp honey<br />
✔ 3tbsp sunflower oil<br />
✔ 1tbsp ground cinnamon<br />
✔ 1tbsp ground ginger<br />
✔ 1 egg, beaten<br />
How to make<br />
1Preheat the oven to 200°C/<br />
fan oven 180°C/Gas Mark<br />
6 and line a 20cm square<br />
baking tin with non-stick<br />
baking paper.<br />
2Place all of the ingredients<br />
in a saucepan and stir<br />
over a low heat for 3min to<br />
melt the honey and combine<br />
everything well.<br />
3Tip the mixture into the<br />
prepared baking tray.<br />
Smooth roughly level, then<br />
press the oats down firmly<br />
with the back of the spoon or<br />
a spatula.<br />
4Bake the flapjacks in the<br />
preheated oven for 20min,<br />
or until a light golden brown.<br />
Leave to cool, then remove<br />
from the tin and cut into bitesized<br />
chunks.<br />
5Serve sparingly as a highreward<br />
treat. Store in an<br />
airtight container for up to a<br />
week, but if you taste a<br />
flapjack for yourself, chances<br />
are they won’t last that long!<br />
50 Take a Break <strong>Pets</strong><br />
Edited by Joe Brothwell Take a Break <strong>Pets</strong> 51<br />
Photos: Shutterstock
Pet health<br />
Ask the<br />
VET<br />
Our resident vet Dr Michael Lazaris<br />
is on hand to answer questions<br />
about your pet’s wellbeing…<br />
Hi, I’m<br />
Dr Michael.<br />
I studied<br />
veterinary<br />
medicine<br />
and zoology<br />
at the University<br />
of Edinburgh,<br />
then completed<br />
a small animal<br />
and exotics<br />
internship.<br />
I now work as a<br />
small animal vet<br />
in London —<br />
and I love it!<br />
Cases of lungworm in dogs are<br />
on the rise. Lungworm is invisible<br />
to the naked eye, and the<br />
parasite spreads to dogs who eat<br />
snails and slugs, or even grass<br />
with snail slime on it.<br />
It then multiplies and spreads,<br />
causing some of the following<br />
symptoms: coughing, difficulty<br />
breathing, lethargy, weight<br />
loss, unexplained bleeding and<br />
bruising, seizures, collapse and<br />
shock, blindness and death.<br />
Lungworm infections can be<br />
30 Take a Break <strong>Pets</strong><br />
What does catnip<br />
Q do to cats? My<br />
kitty goes crazy for it!<br />
Mine goes bonkers<br />
A for the stuff too!<br />
Catnip, from the mint family<br />
of plants, contains a chemical<br />
called nepetalactone. This<br />
chemical binds to receptors in<br />
cats’ noses and sends them<br />
into a euphoric craze. Some<br />
treated by your vet, but some<br />
cases will require hospitalisation.<br />
The good news is lungworm<br />
infections can be avoided with a<br />
monthly deworming product.<br />
Speak to your vet about how<br />
you can protect your pooch,<br />
and bear in mind that most<br />
shop-bought products are not<br />
licensed to kill lungworm.<br />
You can also use the online<br />
Lungworm Map (uk.mypetandi.<br />
com) to see which areas in the<br />
UK have high case numbers.<br />
research shows that this<br />
behaviour may have developed<br />
as a way to protect cats from<br />
mosquitoes and other<br />
parasites, as cats without<br />
Protecting your dog against lungworm<br />
● If you’ve got a question for Dr Michael, send it in to pets@bauermedia.co.uk. Follow him on Instagram @drlazaris_vet<br />
the scent of catnip on them<br />
got bitten more frequently in<br />
the experiment.<br />
Is there anything I should<br />
Q be looking out for when it<br />
comes to buying dog treats?<br />
There are so many options.<br />
You’re right, options are<br />
A endless. I always advise<br />
avoiding highly processed dog<br />
treats as these will have added<br />
ingredients like corn syrup,<br />
preservatives and too much<br />
salt. Freeze-dried meat treats,<br />
like chicken or venison, are<br />
lower in calories and high in<br />
protein, so you can give more<br />
to your pooch per day. Rawhide<br />
treats can pose a choking<br />
hazard or intestinal obstruction,<br />
and harbour some nasty<br />
bacteria like salmonella, so<br />
only buy from<br />
trustworthy sources<br />
and always monitor<br />
your dog with them.<br />
Some mornings<br />
Q I catch my parrot<br />
gasping for breath.<br />
She’s not displaying<br />
any other symptoms<br />
— do you think she is<br />
all right?<br />
Any bird caught gasping for<br />
A breath should be a cause<br />
for concern. I’d recommend a<br />
vet check her straightaway<br />
before things become serious.<br />
Breathing problems in birds<br />
can be caused by bacterial or<br />
fungal infections, parasites like<br />
mites or malnutrition. Birds can<br />
also be very sensitive to smoke<br />
and aerosol sprays, so bear<br />
that in mind when questioned<br />
by your vet.<br />
When is a dog considered<br />
Q ‘old’? And do you think<br />
dogs are generally living<br />
longer now?<br />
This depends on the size of<br />
A your dog, as small breeds<br />
generally live much longer than<br />
giant breeds. I’d go with 11<br />
years for your Chihuahua and<br />
seven years for your Great Dane.<br />
The good news is that dogs<br />
are living longer than they used<br />
to, due to advancements in<br />
medicine and nutrition.<br />
However, problems like obesity<br />
and breed-related diseases are<br />
also on the rise. Yearly vet<br />
checks are a great way to catch<br />
any health issues early on<br />
before they pose a greater risk<br />
to your beloved doggo.<br />
I’ve caught my house<br />
Q bunny trying to tuck into<br />
our cat’s dry food. Could it be<br />
dangerous for her?<br />
You have a very odd rabbit<br />
A<br />
on your hands! Rabbits are<br />
herbivores, while cats are strict<br />
carnivores. This means your<br />
kitty’s kibble will be mostly<br />
meat protein — not something<br />
a rabbit usually eats. This won’t<br />
cause any dangerous problems<br />
for your bunny if eaten on the<br />
rare occasion, but it definitely<br />
won’t meet the nutritional<br />
requirements for a rabbit. As<br />
a simple solution, I would move<br />
your cat's bowl to a higher<br />
level, out of reach from the<br />
floppy-eared kibble thief!<br />
Every now and<br />
Q then, my nineyear-old<br />
tabby will<br />
walk with a limp for a<br />
few minutes after she<br />
naps. Should I be<br />
concerned?<br />
This could be a<br />
A sign of arthritis, or<br />
joint pain. Research<br />
has shown that more<br />
than 90 per cent of<br />
older cats can have<br />
some degree of<br />
arthritis, although<br />
many are masters at<br />
disguising signs of<br />
pain. Ask your vet to<br />
perform a clinical exam<br />
and discuss joint<br />
supplements or<br />
medicine which may<br />
help. Weight control<br />
and staying active are<br />
also really important in<br />
delaying the onset of<br />
joint issues.<br />
My four-year-old<br />
Q terrier seems<br />
fine, but I’ve noticed a<br />
small lump by his ear.<br />
It’s not very big, but<br />
should all lumps and bumps be<br />
checked out by a vet?<br />
That’s a definite yes. Even<br />
A the smallest of lumps<br />
can be something dangerous,<br />
despite looking harmless.<br />
Most of the time, they won’t<br />
be anything to worry about, but<br />
you should always get them<br />
checked out by your vet before<br />
making this decision. It’s also<br />
so much easier for us vets to<br />
remove a small lump than to<br />
wait until it grows and becomes<br />
a much more complicated and<br />
risky procedure.<br />
They say ‘like the cat<br />
Q who got the cream’, but<br />
should you actually give dairy<br />
products to kitties?<br />
Cats love the taste of<br />
A cream and milk due to the<br />
fat and sugar content. However,<br />
cats don’t have the enzyme<br />
lactase needed to break down<br />
milk, which can lead to<br />
stomach upsets. The high<br />
fat content of cream will also<br />
help your puss to pile on the<br />
pounds. The tiniest amount as<br />
a rare treat might be OK, but<br />
I would suggest that you stick<br />
to cat-specific treats.<br />
Dr Michael’s<br />
ANIMAL<br />
CLINIC<br />
Here’s what I’ve been up<br />
to at the practice over<br />
the last few weeks…<br />
Daisy was<br />
1 hospitalised<br />
with a nasty<br />
parvovirus<br />
infection. Many<br />
puppies won’t<br />
survive this<br />
serious disease,<br />
but Daisy pulled<br />
through with the<br />
help of her teddies!<br />
A young adult<br />
2 swan was<br />
brought in after<br />
getting tangled in<br />
a fishing line. The<br />
line had dug deep<br />
into his skin, so we<br />
had to disinfect<br />
the wounds and<br />
treat with antibiotics and pain relief.<br />
Sadly, we see too many birds with<br />
these kinds of injuries.<br />
Sparky the<br />
3 snake’s<br />
owner noticed<br />
a large<br />
swelling<br />
develop near<br />
his head. We<br />
diagnosed an<br />
abscess which had to be drained and<br />
cleaned under anaesthetic.<br />
Poppy got<br />
4 her foot<br />
stuck in the<br />
door and was in<br />
a lot of pain.<br />
Luckily nothing<br />
was broken, and<br />
she went home<br />
with pain relief and strict orders to<br />
take it easy.<br />
This kitty was<br />
5 only days old<br />
when she was<br />
found. She was<br />
fostered by one<br />
of our nurses<br />
and is now a<br />
strong cat.<br />
Take a Break <strong>Pets</strong> 31<br />
Photos: Shutterstock
Fiction<br />
A little girl<br />
was missing —<br />
but someone<br />
knew where<br />
she was…<br />
Gazing out of the<br />
kitchen window, Rob<br />
Burrows frowned.<br />
His wife Helen<br />
looked worried as she hurried<br />
across the farmyard after a trip<br />
to the nearby village.<br />
‘Everything OK, love?’ he<br />
asked, as she bustled in and put<br />
her shopping on the table.<br />
‘Not really,’ she replied. ‘A little<br />
girl has gone missing overnight.’<br />
Helen explained she had just<br />
bumped into a teacher from the<br />
local school, who’d told her that<br />
14-year-old Abi Reid hadn’t been<br />
in her bed that morning when<br />
her mother went to wake her up.<br />
The poor woman was<br />
understandably beside herself<br />
with worry and had immediately<br />
alerted the police.<br />
Now, a search had been<br />
launched, with villagers combing<br />
the surrounding countryside.<br />
‘Abi’s teacher said it was very<br />
ROSIE<br />
out of character for the girl to<br />
run off,’ Helen added. ‘What on<br />
earth can have happened to her?’<br />
Rob shook his head, then<br />
looked at the clock. He wanted<br />
to join the hunt for Abi, but it<br />
was almost four in the afternoon<br />
to the<br />
and the cattle needed to be<br />
brought in for milking.<br />
Reading his mind, Helen said:<br />
‘I’ll check out our fields, you can<br />
join me later.’<br />
‘Thanks, love,’ Rob said,<br />
kissing his wife on the cheek.<br />
RESCUE<br />
Then he pulled on his jacket<br />
and grabbed the keys to his Jeep.<br />
Driving along a lane, he<br />
spotted a police car parked on<br />
the verge. Pulling up next to it,<br />
he saw his friend PC Dave Fraser<br />
at the wheel.<br />
‘Any sign of the girl?’ Rob asked,<br />
leaning out of the Jeep window.<br />
‘Afraid not,’ Dave replied<br />
seriously. ‘It’s a total mystery.<br />
Her mother says, as far as she<br />
knew, Abi wasn’t in any kind of<br />
trouble. She hadn’t talked about<br />
being bullied at school and was<br />
doing well in her lessons.’<br />
‘What about boyfriends?’ Rob<br />
asked. ‘That was my first<br />
thought.’<br />
‘None we know of,’<br />
Dave said. ‘We’ll just<br />
‘I’ll join<br />
the search<br />
as soon as<br />
I can’<br />
have to hope she<br />
turns up soon.<br />
The longer she’s<br />
missing, the more<br />
worrying the<br />
situation is.’<br />
Rob agreed.<br />
‘I’ll join the search as<br />
soon as I can,’ he said,<br />
before driving off.<br />
After the cattle had been<br />
milked, Rob had just one more<br />
job to do. Every day, he liked to<br />
check on Rosie.<br />
The gentle chestnut mare had<br />
been a part of the family for<br />
years. Rob’s two children, who<br />
were now grown up and at uni,<br />
had learnt to ride on her. Now,<br />
she was spending a well-earned<br />
retirement in the lower meadow.<br />
‘Hello, old girl,’ Rob grinned<br />
as he walked up to her as she<br />
stood looking over the gate.<br />
Snorting, Rosie shook her head<br />
and closed her liquid black eyes<br />
while Rob stroked her soft nose.<br />
‘What’s this then?’ Rob said,<br />
noticing twigs and leaves stuck<br />
in the horse’s mane.<br />
Picking them out, he then saw<br />
that Rosie’s legs were smeared<br />
with mud.<br />
Rob glanced towards the gully<br />
at the bottom of the field. Had<br />
Rosie somehow got into the<br />
boggy marshland on the other<br />
side of the fence?<br />
Going into the meadow, Rob<br />
walked down to the gully, with<br />
Rosie slowly plodding behind.<br />
‘Stay here, girl,’ he said as he<br />
went to inspect the fence.<br />
Sure enough, a section of it<br />
was broken. Rosie must have<br />
strayed through the gap.<br />
Thank goodness she hadn’t<br />
got stuck in the deep mud.<br />
‘Right, I better mend this as<br />
soon as possible,’ Rob sighed,<br />
pushing back his cap and patting<br />
Rosie’s neck.<br />
Suddenly, the horse reared her<br />
head and started towards the<br />
gap in the fence.<br />
‘Whoa, girl!’ Rob said, trying<br />
to hold her back.<br />
Only, Rosie determinedly<br />
pushed onwards into the<br />
undergrowth.<br />
‘Come back!’ Rob called as he<br />
followed, brambles catching on<br />
his corduroy trousers.<br />
The horse eventually came to<br />
a halt in a clearing, her hooves<br />
sinking in the mud. Then<br />
she whinnied loudly.<br />
Rob shook his head<br />
in frustration.<br />
‘Come on, old girl,<br />
don’t be silly…’<br />
Suddenly, there was<br />
a whimpering sound,<br />
like a trapped animal.<br />
Rob stood stock-still,<br />
straining to hear it again.<br />
Where was it coming from?<br />
‘Help me,’ came a feeble<br />
voice. ‘Over here…’<br />
‘Abi?’ Rob shouted. ‘Is that you?’<br />
Pushing through the tangle of<br />
branches and weeds, he saw the<br />
scarlet of the girl’s jumper.<br />
Huddled under a bush and<br />
covered in mud, the teenager<br />
looked up at him with terrified<br />
eyes, then burst into tears.<br />
‘It’s OK, Abi, it’s OK!’ Rob said<br />
gently. ‘You’re safe now.’<br />
Through heaving sobs, Abi<br />
pointed at her leg, which was<br />
twisted at an odd angle.<br />
‘I can’t walk!’ she babbled.<br />
‘I’ve been screaming, but no<br />
one came!’<br />
‘Shhh!’ Rob soothed, putting<br />
his jacket around her.<br />
Then he took out his phone<br />
and dialled 999.<br />
‘Ambulance, please…’<br />
Three days later, Rob and<br />
Helen were sitting beside Abi’s<br />
hospital bed. Her mother had<br />
popped out for a coffee. Abi’s<br />
leg had been broken and, once<br />
again, she was in tears.<br />
‘I’m really sorry, Mr Burrows,’<br />
she sniffled. ‘I love horses and<br />
I just wanted to ride Rosie, so I<br />
snuck out after dark.’<br />
‘It could have been much<br />
worse, Abi,’ Rob said in a serious<br />
tone. ‘You were very lucky. If it<br />
had been winter...’<br />
‘I know,’ she replied.<br />
‘I wanted to make<br />
Rosie jump the fence,<br />
but she just broke it<br />
and went through. I<br />
think she panicked a<br />
bit, then I fell off.’<br />
Rob sighed as Abi<br />
continued to sob.<br />
‘Rosie’s very old, Abi,’<br />
he said. ‘And you can’t just make<br />
a horse jump like that, in the<br />
dark, without a saddle and a<br />
bridle. You weren’t even<br />
wearing a riding hat.’<br />
‘I’m sure Abi has learnt her<br />
lesson, love,’ Helen said,<br />
squeezing her husband’s<br />
hand. ‘She won’t do it again.’<br />
Abi shook her head<br />
vigorously, then looked at<br />
Rob with pleading eyes.<br />
‘But Rosie did save me,<br />
didn’t she? She brought you<br />
to me.’<br />
‘I suppose she did,’ Rob<br />
smiled.<br />
‘Can I come and see her<br />
to thank her? Please…’<br />
Two months later, Abi’s<br />
mum dropped her off at<br />
Rob’s farm.<br />
Still on crutches, Abi<br />
sheepishly got out of the<br />
car holding on to a wicker<br />
basket full of treats for<br />
‘Come<br />
on, old<br />
girl, don’t<br />
be silly’<br />
Rosie, as well as a bouquet of<br />
flowers for Helen.<br />
‘Rosie’s waiting for you,’ Rob<br />
smiled, taking the basket and<br />
flowers. Then he helped Abi into<br />
his Jeep and they headed to the<br />
lower meadow.<br />
As they pulled up at the gate,<br />
Abi strained to see the chestnut<br />
mare. Then her eyes grew wide.<br />
Helen was leading the horse<br />
towards them.<br />
‘Rosie’s wearing a<br />
saddle and bridle!’ Abi<br />
gasped.<br />
‘Yes, they used to<br />
belong to my kids,’<br />
Rob grinned. ‘There’s<br />
a hat back at the<br />
farm. When you’re<br />
better, you can come<br />
and ride Rosie after<br />
school. I’m not a bad teacher...’<br />
‘Oh, Mr Burrows!’ Abi<br />
squealed, throwing her arms<br />
around him.<br />
‘Just one thing, though,’ he<br />
laughed. ‘Rosie has told me her<br />
jumping days are over!’<br />
34 Take a Break <strong>Pets</strong><br />
By Rosamund Eyre Take a Break <strong>Pets</strong> 35<br />
Photos: Alamy/Getty/Shutterstock
Our pets<br />
The mice who<br />
Rodent hog<br />
came to tea<br />
There are two families living at the bottom<br />
of our garden, and they’re causing quite<br />
a stir… By Gez Robinson, 60<br />
Stepping out of my back<br />
door, I took a deep<br />
breath and instantly<br />
felt myself relax.<br />
Every afternoon, once I<br />
finished my job as an engineer<br />
for the local authority, I headed<br />
out into the garden to top up the<br />
bird feeders and have a potter.<br />
My wife Amanda and I were<br />
passionate about wildlife<br />
and had tried to create<br />
a haven for all<br />
creatures great<br />
and small.<br />
At the bottom of<br />
our plot stood<br />
Honeysuckle<br />
Cottage, a two-storey<br />
playhouse I’d built for<br />
my daughter Lucy when<br />
she’d been four years old. Now<br />
she was 17 and the wendy house<br />
— which we mainly used for<br />
storage — had seen better days.<br />
We’d allowed the area<br />
surrounding it to grow wild, and<br />
it was a tangle of foliage, fruit<br />
trees and blackberry thickets.<br />
If you were quiet, you<br />
could often spot a<br />
hedgehog snuffling, a<br />
frog leaping or a fox<br />
slinking around there.<br />
For years I’d been a<br />
keen photographer, and<br />
since the onset of the<br />
first lockdown a few<br />
weeks earlier, I’d<br />
snapped away at the<br />
finches, tits and robins<br />
that fluttered to feast on<br />
our feeders.<br />
Only today, I spotted a<br />
different subject. From<br />
‘Oh,<br />
there<br />
you are,<br />
Stumpy!’<br />
the corner of my eye, I clocked a<br />
little mouse dart on to the old<br />
decking of Honeysuckle Cottage<br />
and examine a low-hanging<br />
blackberry.<br />
‘Stay there,’ I said under my<br />
breath, tiptoeing indoors to get<br />
my camera.<br />
Then I crept back outside<br />
and was delighted to see my<br />
mouse visitor was still<br />
in position.<br />
As I clicked away,<br />
more of the critter’s<br />
furry family joined.<br />
I caught them eating,<br />
playing and in a later<br />
photograph, it even<br />
looked like a pair of<br />
them were dancing!<br />
When the performance was<br />
over, I went inside to show<br />
Amanda.<br />
‘They’re great!’ she said. ‘You<br />
know who’d love them — the<br />
grandchildren.’<br />
‘You’re right,’ I replied.<br />
Nine-year-old Noah and<br />
seven-year-old Minnie were our<br />
Tea time<br />
eldest daughter Fiona’s children,<br />
and our rodent residents would<br />
be right up their street.<br />
The pandemic meant we<br />
couldn’t see them, so I sent the<br />
i<strong>mag</strong>es over in an email.<br />
Grandad, they’re amazing!<br />
they replied.<br />
Days passed and I kept taking<br />
photographs of our new<br />
neighbours and sharing them<br />
with Noah and Minnie.<br />
Inspired by the kids’ reaction,<br />
I popped the photos on my<br />
social media too. And the i<strong>mag</strong>es<br />
really struck a chord<br />
with people.<br />
Me So, when Noah and<br />
Minnie were finally able<br />
to visit and suggested<br />
setting up a Facebook<br />
page dedicated to the<br />
mice, I agreed.<br />
‘What shall we call it?’<br />
I asked.<br />
‘How about The<br />
Mouse family that live<br />
by the brambles?’ Noah<br />
suggested.<br />
‘Great name!’ I replied.<br />
After that, I took and<br />
uploaded photos of the mice<br />
most days. Sometimes my furry<br />
friends would be waiting for me,<br />
other times they appeared on<br />
hearing my voice, or I coaxed<br />
them out with sunflower hearts.<br />
On occasion, I’d been known<br />
to wait three or four hours for<br />
them to show themselves!<br />
The longer I kept at it, the<br />
more I learnt about our dinky<br />
dwellers. There were two mouse<br />
families who lived underneath<br />
and the other side of<br />
Honeysuckle Cottage.<br />
One had six members, the<br />
other seven, and they certainly<br />
didn’t get on. I often caught the<br />
different broods scuffling with<br />
one another.<br />
Months went by, and I grew<br />
really attached to my mouse<br />
mates. I named them and began<br />
to worry if I hadn’t seen one in<br />
a while.<br />
‘Oh, there you are Stumpy!’<br />
I cheered, when I spotted a<br />
mouse that hadn’t been around<br />
for months.<br />
But it wasn’t just me who<br />
formed a connection with the<br />
adorable animals.<br />
Before I knew it, thousands of<br />
people were following their<br />
antics on Facebook.<br />
Some dedicated followers<br />
even sent gifts, such as<br />
birdhouses that had been<br />
adapted into a mouse restaurant<br />
and café.<br />
Soon, my shoots<br />
became more<br />
adventurous.<br />
Alongside natural<br />
snaps of them<br />
nibbling peaches<br />
and drinking water,<br />
I caught the mice<br />
interacting with props<br />
— such as a mouse-sized<br />
motorbike, a compact camera<br />
kit and a teeny tea set.<br />
The response they got was<br />
as humbling as it was heartwarming.<br />
Many got in touch<br />
saying my mouse updates had<br />
helped them feel less alone<br />
during the pandemic.<br />
Others said it had made them<br />
completely rethink their opinion<br />
on wild mice.<br />
A nurse even got in touch to<br />
Dad’s<br />
face<br />
would<br />
light up<br />
tell me that she and her<br />
colleagues called them the<br />
‘Covid Meeces’.<br />
We take an iPad around<br />
during our ward visits, and<br />
cheer patients up by showing<br />
them the latest mousy mischief,<br />
she wrote.<br />
While it was incredible to<br />
see the impact the mice were<br />
having all over the world,<br />
they had a profound<br />
effect much closer to<br />
home too.<br />
My dad Eric<br />
suffered severely<br />
with Alzheimer’s and<br />
dementia, and my<br />
mum June was his<br />
full-time carer.<br />
Every weekend they visited<br />
our home in Rotherham, South<br />
Yorkshire, for a roast. And they<br />
both loved sitting in the garden<br />
and watching the wildlife.<br />
Dad’s face would light up<br />
when he saw the mice scurrying<br />
about, and he liked to count<br />
those he could see.<br />
His conditions could be so<br />
cruel, so it was a comfort to all<br />
of us to see him content and at<br />
peace in those moments.<br />
Now my lockdown hobby has<br />
grown far bigger than I could<br />
ever have i<strong>mag</strong>ined.<br />
Our Facebook page has more<br />
than 28,000 followers, I’ve just<br />
released a calendar of my mouse<br />
photos to raise money for the<br />
Alzheimer’s Society, and a book<br />
about the critters is in the<br />
pipeline. It has been wonderful<br />
to spread a bit of joy during<br />
what has been a testing time for<br />
so many.<br />
They may be tiny, but the mice<br />
of Honeysuckle Cottage have<br />
made a huge impression!<br />
● For more information, search<br />
‘The Mouse family that live by<br />
the brambles’ on Facebook.<br />
70 Take a Break <strong>Pets</strong><br />
Edited by Joe Brothwell Take a Break <strong>Pets</strong> 71<br />
Berry cute<br />
Say cheese<br />
Me, Noah<br />
and Minnie<br />
Photo: Dave Poucher