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POTTY 

Our Pets... Our Photos... Our Fun! 

about our 

Pets 

Kitty keepsake 

To mark our marvellous moggy 

turning the grand old age of 16, 

we had this paw-trait painted of 

her. I think it’s a rather striking 

likeness of Peaches, don’t you? 

Ellie Parlak, 

Saltburn-by-the-Sea, N Yorks 

Happy snappers 

I adore this smiley selfie of my son 

Matt, 20, and our nine-year-old 

Rhodesian ridgeback, Molly. 

Doesn’t our photogenic pooch 

look like she’s enjoying life? 

Elizabeth Hare, Wirral, Merseyside 

Canny cats 

Seven-month-old Noah and 

three-month-old Nala are not only 

pretty kitties, but they’re sharp as 

tacks too. The impressive pair love 

to learn. So far, I’ve taught them 

how to sit, present their paws and 

give a high-five, and I have grand 

plans for the future. 

Ashlee Curtis, Dartford, Kent 

Bedtime routine 

Before napping, my 16-monthold 

Saluki, Rana, likes to get a 

pillow or cushion — then she’ll 

rest her head on it and drift off. 

It just melts my heart! 

Graham Steer, 

Wangford, Suffolk 

Snake in 

the grass 

I work in a pet store, and in 

2018 we had a Carolina corn 

snake delivered. He was placid 

and a gorgeous colour, and I 

was determined to find him the 

perfect owner. But almost two 

years on, he was still looking. 

So, I decided the best home for 

him was with me! Now Nagini 

fits in really well with my 

animal family, which includes 

ring-necked parakeet, Molly, 

springer spaniel, Sophie, and 

my freshwater fish. 

Kym Goodhand, 

Peterborough, Cambs 

Paw-fect to me 

Meet nine-week-old Ragdoll 

kitten, Anne Boleyn. It’s been 

rumoured the famous queen 

had six fingers on her right 

hand, and as my kitty has 

seven claws on one front paw 

and six on the other (five on 

each is the norm), I thought 

the name was fitting! 

Rose Forsyth, 

Southwark, London 

Paddles and 

puddles 

Four-year-old Reggie the 

cockapoo is a real water baby. 

He adores nothing more than 

going paddleboarding with me. 

He’s a mud monster too! It can 

be the driest of days, but he’ll 

still somehow find a muddy 

puddle to roll in. 

Suzanne Sheen, 

Garston, Liverpool 

Happy 

hopper 

My three-year-old rabbit 

Colleen really lives the 

life. She spends her 

days munching, sleeping 

and playing in her 

favourite tunnel toy. I 

adore her — nobunny 

compares! 

Louise Wiggs, 

Stevenage, Herts 

Peggy in the middle 

Peggy, my gorgeous guinea pig, had a blast 

marking her third birthday with her furry 

friends Pixie (left) and Primrose. Not only did 

she get a new teddy bear, she also chomped 

her way through a delicious watermelon cake 

— her favourite fruit! 

Gemma Mcgregor, Halifax, W Yorks 

£25 

paid 

per item 

used 

Ratty reunion 

After my eight-month-old 

rat Lychee was spayed for 

hormonal aggression, she 

needed to be kept on her 

own for 10 days until she was 

fully healed. This sweet snap 

shows her reuniting with one 

of her cage mates. I think 

21-month-old Cream missed 

her buddy, as it looks like 

she’s giving her a hug! 

Jessie Parrott, 

Hemel Hempstead, Herts 

Have you got a 

picture for these 

pages? Send us your 

photos and stories, 

with all names, ages, 

your address and phone 

number to pets@ 

bauermedia.co.uk 

Please make photos 

exclusive to us.* 

4 Take a Break Pets Edited by Joe Brothwell By submitting an item to this page you are agreeing to the magazine publishing your full name, age, town and photo. *See T&Cs on p73. 

5 

Take a Break Pets

Our pets 

There’s something 

about MINTY 

Minty 

When the world gets too much for my son Connor, his 

special friend is there like a shot… By Siobhan Cobb, 32 

I 

parked up, then headed 

into the veterinary practice 

to begin my nursing shift. 

As I entered one of the 

treatment rooms, my boss 

whispered: ‘Quick, close the 

door.’ 

She explained a rather timid 

stray cat had just been brought 

in and was currently hiding. 

‘He was found scrounging for 

food in bins outside The 

Imperial Hotel,’ she told me. 

Because of that, my boss 

had called the puss Minty. I 

repeated his name, and it was 

as if he understood, as at that 

moment, a small black and 

white fluffball peeked out from 

behind a filing cabinet. 

‘He’s gorgeous,’ I said. 

I could see right away that 

Minty had been through the 

wars. He was skinny and a 

little nervous. But it was his 

striking eyes that really 

grabbed my attention. I’d never 

seen anything like them. One 

was a piercing green, while the 

other was sky blue. 

From studying his teeth, we 

could see he was no more than 

two years old, and besides 

being underweight, he 

was in OK health. 

But that wasn’t 

the only thing I 

noticed. 

Minty 

wasn’t a 

black and 

white 

moggy — 

the dark 

splodges 

Best 

buddies 

on his fur were actually oil 

stains. 

I tried to get the worst of it 

off, then said: ‘There, much 

better.’ 

As Minty wasn’t 

microchipped, we kept him at 

the clinic while we tried to find 

out if he had an owner. 

At first, he was a scaredy cat. 

Though he never scratched or 

hissed, he shied away from 

any human interaction. 

But as days passed, he grew 

more confident, and I grew 

more and more fond of him. He 

would follow me around at 

work, affectionately brushing 

against my shins. 

When it became clear Minty 

was ownerless, I had my heart 

set on adopting him. 

‘What do you reckon?’ I 

asked my partner Dean. 

He was all for it, 

and soon Minty was 

ruling the roost at 

ours. 

Shortly after, I 

fell pregnant, and 

before we knew it, 

Dean and I were 

heading home from 

hospital with our first 

baby, Connor. 

Initially, I 

worried how 

Minty would 

take to 

having to 

share the 

limelight 

and 

separated 

him from 

Connor 

and Minty 

‘We 

need to 

take him to 

the practice 

now’ 

Connor as much as I could. 

But I needn’t have been 

concerned. Minty was so 

gentle around our 

precious bundle and 

wasn’t fazed by 

crying. If anything, 

he just wanted to 

be part of the 

action, and would 

peacefully stand by 

as I changed Connor. 

When Connor was eight 

days old, I rose in the early 

hours to feed him. Cradling him 

close, I headed downstairs to 

the living room. Only then I saw 

something shocking. 

There was a trail of blood 

going across the floor, leading 

under the settee. I placed 

Connor down and knelt to take 

a closer look. 

Then I cried: ‘Dean, come 

here!’ 

Swaddled in a throw was 

Minty, and he was in a bad way. 

He wasn’t moving and his white 

fur was slick with red. 

As carefully as I could, I 

brought him out into the room, 

and noticed a bone protruding 

from his left hind leg. 

‘It must’ve been a car,’ Dean 

said, hand clasped to his mouth. 

We lived near a bypass, and 

reasoned Minty must’ve been 

hit, then somehow limped back 

home, taken a blanket from the 

sofa, and then curled up 

underneath it. 

‘We need to take him to the 

practice now,’ I said. 

Deep down, I feared the 

worst. But at work, I was 

proved wrong, and our brave 

boy started to come around. 

‘Thank goodness,’ I said. 

An X-ray revealed Minty had 

broken his hipbone and leg in 

multiple places. 

When he was strong enough, 

he was transferred to a 

specialist, who fixed his hip 

joint and pinned his leg in 

place. 

‘Now he needs lots of rest,’ 

Minty’s surgeon told me. 

Caring for a demanding 

newborn and ensuring Minty 

had everything he needed was 

exhausting. Dean and I had 

many sleepless nights, but we 

managed to struggle through. 

Only, during one of Minty’s 

follow-ups, we were given 

upsetting news. The blood 

supply to his back left leg had 

been too badly damaged, and 

the only option was to have it 

amputated. 

Thankfully, all the vets and 

nurses we dealt with were 

incredible and the operation 

was a success. 

After a couple of wobbly 

weeks, Minty got used to 

getting around on three legs. 

Soon, he was prowling 

around as he’d always done. 

Only, while he was on the 

mend, I was growing increasingly 

worried about Connor. 

He often refused to feed and 

was difficult to settle, 

sometimes screaming so 

much he stopped 

breathing. 

‘Something’s not 

right,’ I said to 

Dean. 

Initially, doctors 

thought I was an 

overprotective new 

mum. But as my 

little boy grew, it 

became clear he wasn’t 

like other tots his age. He 

wasn’t meeting his milestones. 

Eventually, he was diagnosed 

with severe learning difficulties 

and a range of medical 

conditions including cerebral 

palsy, which affected his 

physical, mental and emotional 

development. 

Dean and I loved our amazing 

boy, but day-to-day life became 

challenging. When things got 

‘Minty’s 

showing 

him how 

to do 

it!’ 

too much for Connor, he 

started having meltdowns, 

screaming until he wore 

himself out. Intervening only 

made things worse and going 

out with him became difficult. 

But during one of his 

episodes, something 

unexpected happened. 

Minty padded over to a 

shrieking Connor and nuzzled 

his face against my boy’s 

hand. And it was as if 

he had pressed the 

off button. Within 

seconds, Connor 

had calmed himself 

and was happily 

stroking his furry 

friend. 

After that, Minty 

was there like a flash 

whenever he heard his 

two-legged bestie in distress. 

‘It’s astounding,’ friends and 

family said when they saw 

Minty in action. 

No one could explain it. 

I thought there must be 

something innate in Minty to 

want to help Connor and, as my 

boy responded well to sensory 

stimulation, stroking our cat’s 

soft fur helped him to relax. 

As time passed, Minty’s 

extraordinary bond with 

Connor showed itself in 

other ways. 

The puss would curl by 

him at mealtimes to help 

soothe him. And after 

Minty and I tucked 

Connor in, the kitty would 

wait outside his bedroom 

until he was sure he’d 

drifted off. 

One morning, Dean 

and I were trying to 

teach Connor to climb 

the stairs of our house, 

when Minty joined us. 

As we stood behind 

our boy to catch him, 

Minty positioned himself 

in front of Connor. 

Then he jumped up 

one step, and turned 

around, as if to say: 

‘That’s how you do it. 

Come on, Connor, I 

believe in you!’ 

Minty then waited 

there until Connor 

tottered up to the next 

step. Then the patient 

puss did the same thing 

again. 

‘Minty’s showing him 

how to do it!’ Dean cheered. 

An hour later, Connor reached 

the landing, and Minty had 

been there every step of the 

way. 

The connection between the 

pair was unbelievable, so when 

a colleague suggested I enter 

them in the charity Cats 

Protection’s National Cat 

Awards — which celebrates 

fabulous felines — I decided to 

give it a go. 

Now six-year-old Connor and 

Minty, who we believe is around 

eight, are as close as ever and 

have just been announced as 

the overall winners at the 

National Cat Awards! 

It’s been wonderful for more 

people to learn about their 

remarkable relationship. 

My son’s conditions mean he 

can be very loud, unsteady and 

clumsy. Many pets would keep 

their distance, but not Minty – 

when Connor’s most in need, 

our fantastic feline is there like 

a shot. 

Quite simply, I don’t know 

what we’d do without him. 

● To find out more about Cats 

Protection, visit cats.org.uk 

6 Take a Break Pets 

Edited by Joe Brothwell Take a Break Pets 7 

Connor, me 

and Minty 

Photos: PA

Pet report 

10 

Babe 

An adaptation of the 1983 novel The Sheep-Pig by Dick 

King-Smith, Babe hit the silver screen in 1995, and the 

titular trotter soon won audiences over. The film grossed 

eight times its budget, and won a host of awards, including 

an Oscar for Best Visual Effects. 

The plucky piglet struck such a chord, there was a spike 

in people turning vegetarian after the film’s release. In 

fact, actor James Cromwell became a vegan as a result 

of starring as Babe’s owner Farmer Hoggett. 

Sadly, the piggy’s second foray into moviedom wasn’t as 

successful. Babe: Pig in the City came out in 1998, and 

was labelled a box office bomb. 

9 

Sid from Ice Age 

The accident-prone sloth, voiced by John Leguizamo, is such a 

fan favourite that he’s been in all five Ice Age movies. And it’s easy 

to see why he’s so beloved. He might be dim-witted at times, but 

the buck-toothed critter is loyal to a fault, and often cares for 

younger creatures of different species. One of his most famous 

lines is: ‘Doesn’t anyone care about Sid the Sloth?’ And his 

top-10 placing shows the answer is a resounding yes! 

Dory from Finding Nemo 

Safe to say 2003’s Finding Nemo is something of a 

phenomenon. Not only has the movie grossed almost 

one billion dollars, but it’s the best-selling DVD of all 

time. And the star of the underwater show has to be 

Dory, a regal blue tang who suffers from short-term 

memory loss. In fact, the character was such a draw, 

Ellen DeGeneres reprised her role as the fantastic fish 13 

years later for the even bigger blockbuster, Finding Dory. 

TOP 10 MOVIE 

8 

ANIMALS 

6 

7 

Peter Rabbit 

The carrot-stealing bunny first 

appeared in a Beatrix Potter 

children’s book in 1902. But it 

wasn’t until well over a century 

later that the iconic hopper 

enjoyed his big-screen debut. 

Despite critics not being terribly 

kind to the 2018 live-action/ 

computer-animated comedy, 

simply called Peter Rabbit, 

audiences lapped it up. 

James Corden reprised his 

voice role as Peter Rabbit for Peter 

Rabbit 2: The Runaway earlier this 

year, and a third film is in the works. 

Lady from 

Lady and 

the Tramp 

Inspired by a 1945 

magazine story called 

Happy Dan, The Cynical 

Dog, Disney’s Lady and 

the Tramp tells the 

story of respectable 

cocker spaniel, Lady, as 

she meets and falls for 

the stray mutt, Tramp. 

The original movie 

may have recently 

celebrated its 66th 

birthday, but there’s still 

a lot of love for Lady 

and her pup pals 

around — as her 7th 

place indicates. 

Photos: Alamy 

1 

Donkey from Shrek 

Masterfully voiced by Eddie Murphy, Shrek’s 

fast-talking sidekick, Donkey, provides 

audiences with the biggest laughs in all four 

of the ogre films he appears in. 

Whether it’s him rebuffing the affections 

of an enamoured dragon or singing Disco 

Inferno on Far Far Away Idol, the computeranimated 

animal is always on hand to give 

the giggles. 

And his mixture of childish humour and 

more risqué quips ensures he appeals to all 

cinemagoers. So, it’s no wonder that he’s 

been crowned the UK’s favourite movie 

animal of all time! 

22 Take a Break Pets Take a Break Pets 23 

Edited by Joe Brothwell 

2 Bambi 

As well as the nation’s top 10 movie animals, 

the Showcase Cinemas poll also revealed 

the saddest big-screen animal death. With 

37 per cent of the votes, the shooting of 

Bambi’s mother came in at number one. 

The moment is particularly shocking and 

poignant, as much of the beginning of the 

film focuses on Bambi’s close relationship 

with his mum. Perhaps it’s one reason that 

Bambi as a character, and the beautifully 

animated movie as a whole, has had an 

ongoing appeal since 1942. 

A recent survey conducted by Showcase Cinemas discovered the 

UK’s favourite big-screen critter ever. We countdown the results… 

3 

Baloo 

from The 

Jungle Book 

The carefree Bare Necessities 

crooner we see in Disney’s 

1967 animated film is a 

far cry from the ‘strict 

teacher’ depicted in 

Rudyard Kipling’s original 

1894 novel.But it seems 

that the character 

changes were the right 

decision, as Baloo is 

now one of the 

best-known and 

best-loved animated 

characters ever. 

4 

Simba from 

The Lion King 

The Lion King broke records 

when it came out in 1994. 

Not only was it the biggest of 

the year, but it’s also still the 

highest-grossing traditionally 

animated film of all time. 

The incredible soundtrack 

and storyline moved moviegoers 

both young and old. 

But it was the character of 

Simba, and the relationship 

he had with his father, that 

really resonated. 

And it clearly stuck with 

people, as Simba just missed 

out on a top-three position. 

5 Lassie 

Since Eric Knight published his short story 

Lassie Come-Home in 1940, the heroic collie 

has been a part of popular culture.There have 

been TV series, novels, comics and multiple 

movies made about the fictional pup. 

The first pooch to portray Lassie on the 

silver screen was Pal in 1943, and when he 

retired, a succession of his ancestors took 

over. The last Lassie movie was as recent 

as 2020, and currently she’s one of only 

four animals to have a star on the 

Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Our pets 

life…QUICK TAILS 

Three readers tell us 

about special animals 

in their 

Denver with 

the deer 

Hill squawker 

As I packed a rucksack 

for our outing, I was 

bombarded by a 

barrage of questions. 

‘Are we going in the car? Are 

we going to the beach?’ my 

fellow day tripper asked. ‘Are 

we going over the bridge? Can 

I have walnut?’ 

You’d be forgiven for 

thinking I was heading out 

with a particularly inquisitive 

child with a penchant for nuts. 

But the source of my 

interrogation was actually my 

African grey parrot, Piper. 

I’d welcomed my feathered 

friend into my home when he 

was just 12 weeks old. Keen 

for him to see as much of the 

world as possible, I’d got him 

used to wearing a harness 

when he was still young. 

It had an 80ft lead and 

meant we could go for walks 

together and Piper was able to 

choose whether he wanted to 

sit on my shoulder or fly 

above me. 

Shortly after he turned one, 

Piper said his first word, 

‘hello’. 

And from that moment it’s 

safe to say he found his voice. 

Piper wouldn’t pipe down! 

Whether it was greeting 

passers-by, 

emulating 

sirens from 

the nearby 

police station, 

or asking me 

‘where are the 

birds?’, it was 

non-stop. 

One time, he 

managed to get 

Alexa to call my 

mobile and left 

a five-minute 

voicemail asking 

me to bring 

home apples and walnuts! 

The cheeky so-and-so also 

liked to cheer for the 

opposing team when my 

partner Alan and I were 

watching football. 

Piper was such a character 

and whenever we were out 

and about, people gravitated 

towards him, wanting photos 

or to know more. 

But now five-year-old Piper 

and I were going on a rather 

special adventure. Slinging my 

backpack over my shoulders, 

Piper perched on one of the 

straps, and we 

headed to the car. 

One of our 

favourite things to 

Lara with Piper 

do was go hiking together, 

and so far, we’d scaled six 

mountains. 

But today was a biggie. 

When we reached the 

bottom of Ben Nevis, I turned 

to my parrot pal and said: ‘Are 

you ready?’ 

Luckily, it was a fine day, as 

Piper didn’t like wind or rain, 

and we made good progress. 

When we reached the top, it 

felt such an achievement. And 

it was made even more 

wonderful by a group of 

children who were overjoyed 

to meet a real-life parrot! 

Now, I’m on the lookout for 

our next escapade. 

Whatever it is, I know that 

Piper will have 

something to say 

about it. 

But while he 

may sometimes 

drive me up 

the wall, I do 

adore my 

wordy birdy! 

From Lara 

Mitchell, 51 , 

of Dundee 

On top of 

Ben Nevis 

Wheels of 

fortune 

I 

was playing with my 

excitable puppy pug in the 

living room, when I noticed 

something odd. 

It was as though fourmonth-old 

Yuna’s back legs 

occasionally stopped working 

and she had to pull herself 

forward with her front two. 

‘It doesn’t look right,’ I said 

to my partner Chris. 

The vet prescribed pain 

relief, but sadly our pooch 

deteriorated. Then a scan 

revealed she had something 

called hemivertebra. It meant 

she had a deformity in her 

spine that was crushing her 

spinal cord, causing paralysis. 

Left untreated, her mobility 

would get worse and worse. 

Only, two operations to pin 

her spine in place did more 

harm than good. She was not 

only left with limited use of 

her hind legs but was now in 

pain too. 

‘I hate seeing her like this,’ 

I said to Chris. 

Desperate, we sought 

specialist advice, and were 

put in touch with The 

Supervet, Noel Fitzpatrick. 

We were so grateful when 

he managed to rectify the 

damage done by the 

operations. 

Afterwards, a pain-free Yuna 

had regular hydro-, laser- and 

physiotherapy to strengthen 

her back legs. 

But while we saw progress, 

our poor pooch still struggled 

to get around. Some days 

were better than others, but 

mostly she crawled around 

using her front legs. 

As a result, I often took her 

out in a special pup pram. 

In the meantime, I 

researched ways to improve 

my precious girl’s quality of 

life online. 

It was a struggle finding 

anything UK-based, but I did 

come across a US company 

that made wheels for dogs. 

They didn’t come cheap, 

but Chris and I would have 

done anything for Yuna. 

‘Let’s give them a go,’ we 

agreed. 

I ordered the correct size 

for my petite pooch, then 

waited for the contraption 

to arrive. 

When it did, it was 

surprisingly easy to 

fit, and Yuna didn’t 

seem too fazed by it. 

‘Good girl,’ I said. 

Then Chris and I 

waited... 

At first, Yuna took 

a few tentative 

steps forward. 

Then she looked 

at us, as if realising 

she could finally go 

where she wanted, 

and began racing 

around. 

She was ecstatic 

and it was a very 

emotional moment. 

Yuna’s new wheels had 

such a positive impact, it 

inspired me and Chris to take 

over a nearby business, Palin 

and Way Pet Supplies. 

Now, as well as selling 

animal products, we fit and 

sell wheels for critters in 

need, from dogs to cats to 

ducks to goats! 

No furry or feathered friend 

should be written off because 

they have a disability. Every 

animal deserves a chance. 

From Matt Goldsmith, 41, 

of Paignton, Devon 

Deer-y 

me! 

My husband 

Denver and I 

were enjoying 

a cosy night in with a 

Chinese takeaway, when 

we received a frantic 

phone call from our 

24-year-old son Chris. 

He had been walking 

with his fiancée and 

their two dogs at a 

nearby nature reserve and 

spotted something concerning. 

‘We’ve just seen a deer fall 

into the water,’ he said down 

the line. ‘I think he’s drowning.’ 

They were at an area of the 

Leeds-Liverpool canal just 400 

metres from our house and, 

without a second thought, 

Denver and I sprang into 

action. 

Leaving our prawn crackers 

untouched, we headed down 

there. On the way out, I 

grabbed some towels and our 

dog’s lead, thinking they may 

come in handy. 

We soon reached the scene, 

and my son had been right. A 

young roebuck was in the canal 

and struggling to keep his head 

above water. 

The walls surrounding the 

deer were too high for him to 

climb out, and without 

assistance it was clear he would 

drown. 

We’ve got to do something, 

I thought. 

But my husband had already 

whipped off his top and dived 

into the algae-filled waters. 

Moments later, Chris joined him. 

I watched on tenterhooks as 

the pair tried to get our dog’s 

lead around the roebuck’s 

neck, so there would be 

something for onlookers to 

haul the majestic beast up by. 

Eventually they managed to 

loop it around him, but he kept 

slipping through their grasp. 

After 25 minutes, and a lot of 

near misses, Chris and Denver 

finally managed to swim the 

deer to the edge of the canal 

where he was hoisted up on to 

dry land. 

After getting the lead off him, 

and calming him down, the 

roebuck got to his feet as 

though nothing had happened. 

Then the lovely creature gave 

us a quick glance, as if to say 

thank you, and galloped off 

into the woods. 

Handing Denver and Chris 

towels, I said: ‘You were 

amazing!’ 

I had filmed the entire rescue 

mission, and afterwards I 

uploaded it to social media, 

where the pair were hailed as 

heroes. And I couldn’t agree 

more! 

I’m so proud of my boys. 

From Julie Kendall, 54, of 

Wigan, Gtr Manchester 

Together 



Yuna 

Matt and Yuna 

Julie and Denver 

Photos: Katielee Arrowsmith/SWNS

Cookery 

Let’s get 

When prepared the 

correct way, some fruits 

can be a tasty and 

healthy snack for dogs 

Did you know that certain fruits make great 

additions to your dog’s diet? 

That being said, many common fruits are toxic 

to pooches, and if you don’t know what they are, 

you might accidentally be giving your pet a treat that 

could harm them. 

Here, experts at tailored dog food subscription 

tails.com share what is and isn’t safe for our four-legged 

friends to eat… 

Which fruits are 

safe for dogs? 

Apples: High in fibre and low in 

fat, apples make a delicious 

doggy snack. However, only 

serve the skin and flesh as 

apple pips contain traces of 

cyanide, a substance that’s 

toxic to dogs (and humans — 

but we’re big enough to tolerate 

the amount in a pip or two). 

Bananas: Bananas cram a lot 

of nutrition into a small dogfriendly 

package. They’re full of 

potassium, fibre, beta-carotene, 

vitamins C and E, lutein and 

selenium. Always remove the 

peel and serve in moderation 

to avoid giving your dog too 

much sugar. 

Blueberries, blackberries and 

raspberries: High in vitamins 

C, E and K, and packed with 

antioxidants like anthocyanin, 

berries are great nutritional allrounders. 

Blueberries contain 

good levels of B vitamins like 

folate and B6, too, while 

blackberries are a great source 

of potassium and magnesium. 

Meanwhile, raspberries are 

sweet, without being too 

calorific — great for dogs on a 

weight management diet. 

Strawberries: These 

Wimbledon favourites are full of 

health-boosting antioxidants. 

But strawberries are also 

higher in sugar than other 

FRUITY! 

berries, so it’s important 

to serve them in small 

amounts. Fresh and 

frozen are the same 

nutritionally, so see 

what your dog 

prefers. 

Pears: Full of vitamin 

C, and packed with 

fibre, pears are 

another safe snack 

option. But as with 

apples, it’s important 

to remove the 

cyanide-carrying pips 

first. 

Tomatoes: 

Refreshing and full of 

vitamins, they’re safe 

to serve in 

moderation. But it’s 

important to wait until 

they’re fully ripe, as 

tomatoes contain low 

levels of solanine, a 

poisonous compound 

that can affect the 

digestive and nervous 

system. The levels of 

toxin decline as the fruit 

ripens. 

Apricots, peaches and 

plums: These squishy summer 

fruits are fine to give your dog, 

but the stone is poisonous, so 

never serve them whole. All 

three are bursting with 

antioxidants — like chlorogenic 

acid — and are rich in vitamins 

C, E, K, as well as B vitamins 

and potassium. 

Which fruits 

are harmful to 

dogs? 

Citrus fruits: Whole citrus 

fruits can cause some 

digestive upset if fed in large 

amounts, so oranges, lemons, 

limes and grapefruit are all 

worth avoiding. 

Grapes, raisins and currants: 

Nobody knows quite why these 

fruits are so dangerous — the 

leading theory is that they can 

contain traces of a mould that’s 

toxic to dogs. Whatever the 

cause, they’ve been linked to 

symptoms as severe as kidney 

failure, so they’re definitely to 

be avoided. 

Other dried fruit: When fruit is 

dried, the sugars get 

concentrated, making dried 

fruits like dates, figs 

and apricots too high in 

sugar for dogs. The fresh 

versions are mostly OK, 

except grapes, which are 

harmful however they’re 

prepared. 

Hedgerow berries: While 

some berries are nutrientpacked 

and safe, a lot of 

the ones you’ll see on 

your walks are far less 

friendly. Rowan, holly, 

juniper and elderberries 

are all harmful or 

poisonous, so if you see 

your dog making a beeline 

for a berry-dotted hedge, 

intervene. 

How can I 

introduce fruit 

into my dog’s 

diet? 

Make sure it’s dog-friendly: 

Before giving a new fruit to your 

four-legged friend, double-check 

it’s on the list of foods dogs 

can eat. 

Check for mould: Only let your 

dog eat fruit that’s fresh — 

mouldy fruit is as bad for dogs 

as it is for us. If you have fruit 

trees, keep your dog away at 

harvest time, so they don’t 

accidentally eat any spoilt or 

infested fruit that’s fallen on 

the ground. 

Prepare it carefully: 

Thoroughly wash or remove the 

peel from any fruit you’re giving 

your dog — just as you would if 

you were eating it yourself. 

Introduce it gradually: Even 

if food is safe to give your dog, 

serving a bowlful straightaway 

can lead to an upset stomach. 

To avoid any unpleasant 

reactions, give your dog a small 

piece to try, then increase to a 

snack-size amount over time. 

Serve in moderation: Fruit 

can be good for your dog in 

small quantities but serving 

too much can have the 

opposite effect. Be especially 

careful with high-sugar fruits 

like strawberries and bananas. 

● For more information, visit 

tails.com/gb/range/our-dogfood 

Orchard Fruit 

Flapjacks 

This scrummy flapjack recipe, 

from The Happy Dog Cookbook 

(£14.99, amazon.co.uk), is a 

great high-reward fruity treat. 

They’re howlingly good for 

humans and hounds alike and 

are ideal for long walks as 

they provide a slow-release 

energy hit. 

There’s a zingy bit of ginger 

too, which can help sensitive 

tummies. 

Ingredients 

✔ 200g rolled oats 

✔ 1 apple, cored and grated 

✔ 20 ripe blackberries 

✔ 1½tbsp honey 

✔ 3tbsp sunflower oil 

✔ 1tbsp ground cinnamon 

✔ 1tbsp ground ginger 

✔ 1 egg, beaten 

How to make 

1Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 

fan oven 180°C/Gas Mark 

6 and line a 20cm square 

baking tin with non-stick 

baking paper. 

2Place all of the ingredients 

in a saucepan and stir 

over a low heat for 3min to 

melt the honey and combine 

everything well. 

3Tip the mixture into the 

prepared baking tray. 

Smooth roughly level, then 

press the oats down firmly 

with the back of the spoon or 

a spatula. 

4Bake the flapjacks in the 

preheated oven for 20min, 

or until a light golden brown. 

Leave to cool, then remove 

from the tin and cut into bitesized 

chunks. 

5Serve sparingly as a highreward 

treat. Store in an 

airtight container for up to a 

week, but if you taste a 

flapjack for yourself, chances 

are they won’t last that long! 



Photos: Shutterstock

Pet health 

Ask the 

VET 

Our resident vet Dr Michael Lazaris 

is on hand to answer questions 

about your pet’s wellbeing… 

Hi, I’m 

Dr Michael. 

I studied 

veterinary 

medicine 

and zoology 

at the University 

of Edinburgh, 

then completed 

a small animal 

and exotics 

internship. 

I now work as a 

small animal vet 

in London — 

and I love it! 

Cases of lungworm in dogs are 

on the rise. Lungworm is invisible 

to the naked eye, and the 

parasite spreads to dogs who eat 

snails and slugs, or even grass 

with snail slime on it. 

It then multiplies and spreads, 

causing some of the following 

symptoms: coughing, difficulty 

breathing, lethargy, weight 

loss, unexplained bleeding and 

bruising, seizures, collapse and 

shock, blindness and death. 

Lungworm infections can be 


What does catnip 

Q do to cats? My 

kitty goes crazy for it! 

Mine goes bonkers 

A for the stuff too! 

Catnip, from the mint family 

of plants, contains a chemical 

called nepetalactone. This 

chemical binds to receptors in 

cats’ noses and sends them 

into a euphoric craze. Some 

treated by your vet, but some 

cases will require hospitalisation. 

The good news is lungworm 

infections can be avoided with a 

monthly deworming product. 

Speak to your vet about how 

you can protect your pooch, 

and bear in mind that most 

shop-bought products are not 

licensed to kill lungworm. 

You can also use the online 

Lungworm Map (uk.mypetandi. 

com) to see which areas in the 

UK have high case numbers. 

research shows that this 

behaviour may have developed 

as a way to protect cats from 

mosquitoes and other 

parasites, as cats without 

Protecting your dog against lungworm 

● If you’ve got a question for Dr Michael, send it in to pets@bauermedia.co.uk. Follow him on Instagram @drlazaris_vet 

the scent of catnip on them 

got bitten more frequently in 

the experiment. 

Is there anything I should 

Q be looking out for when it 

comes to buying dog treats? 

There are so many options. 

You’re right, options are 

A endless. I always advise 

avoiding highly processed dog 

treats as these will have added 

ingredients like corn syrup, 

preservatives and too much 

salt. Freeze-dried meat treats, 

like chicken or venison, are 

lower in calories and high in 

protein, so you can give more 

to your pooch per day. Rawhide 

treats can pose a choking 

hazard or intestinal obstruction, 

and harbour some nasty 

bacteria like salmonella, so 

only buy from 

trustworthy sources 

and always monitor 

your dog with them. 

Some mornings 

Q I catch my parrot 

gasping for breath. 

She’s not displaying 

any other symptoms 

— do you think she is 

all right? 

Any bird caught gasping for 

A breath should be a cause 

for concern. I’d recommend a 

vet check her straightaway 

before things become serious. 

Breathing problems in birds 

can be caused by bacterial or 

fungal infections, parasites like 

mites or malnutrition. Birds can 

also be very sensitive to smoke 

and aerosol sprays, so bear 

that in mind when questioned 

by your vet. 

When is a dog considered 

Q ‘old’? And do you think 

dogs are generally living 

longer now? 

This depends on the size of 

A your dog, as small breeds 

generally live much longer than 

giant breeds. I’d go with 11 

years for your Chihuahua and 

seven years for your Great Dane. 

The good news is that dogs 

are living longer than they used 

to, due to advancements in 

medicine and nutrition. 

However, problems like obesity 

and breed-related diseases are 

also on the rise. Yearly vet 

checks are a great way to catch 

any health issues early on 

before they pose a greater risk 

to your beloved doggo. 

I’ve caught my house 

Q bunny trying to tuck into 

our cat’s dry food. Could it be 

dangerous for her? 

You have a very odd rabbit 

A 

on your hands! Rabbits are 

herbivores, while cats are strict 

carnivores. This means your 

kitty’s kibble will be mostly 

meat protein — not something 

a rabbit usually eats. This won’t 

cause any dangerous problems 

for your bunny if eaten on the 

rare occasion, but it definitely 

won’t meet the nutritional 

requirements for a rabbit. As 

a simple solution, I would move 

your cat's bowl to a higher 

level, out of reach from the 

floppy-eared kibble thief! 

Every now and 

Q then, my nineyear-old 

tabby will 

walk with a limp for a 

few minutes after she 

naps. Should I be 

concerned? 

This could be a 

A sign of arthritis, or 

joint pain. Research 

has shown that more 

than 90 per cent of 

older cats can have 

some degree of 

arthritis, although 

many are masters at 

disguising signs of 

pain. Ask your vet to 

perform a clinical exam 

and discuss joint 

supplements or 

medicine which may 

help. Weight control 

and staying active are 

also really important in 

delaying the onset of 

joint issues. 

My four-year-old 

Q terrier seems 

fine, but I’ve noticed a 

small lump by his ear. 

It’s not very big, but 

should all lumps and bumps be 

checked out by a vet? 

That’s a definite yes. Even 

A the smallest of lumps 

can be something dangerous, 

despite looking harmless. 

Most of the time, they won’t 

be anything to worry about, but 

you should always get them 

checked out by your vet before 

making this decision. It’s also 

so much easier for us vets to 

remove a small lump than to 

wait until it grows and becomes 

a much more complicated and 

risky procedure. 

They say ‘like the cat 

Q who got the cream’, but 

should you actually give dairy 

products to kitties? 

Cats love the taste of 

A cream and milk due to the 

fat and sugar content. However, 

cats don’t have the enzyme 

lactase needed to break down 

milk, which can lead to 

stomach upsets. The high 

fat content of cream will also 

help your puss to pile on the 

pounds. The tiniest amount as 

a rare treat might be OK, but 

I would suggest that you stick 

to cat-specific treats. 

Dr Michael’s 

ANIMAL 

CLINIC 

Here’s what I’ve been up 

to at the practice over 

the last few weeks… 

Daisy was 

1 hospitalised 

with a nasty 

parvovirus 

infection. Many 

puppies won’t 

survive this 

serious disease, 

but Daisy pulled 

through with the 

help of her teddies! 

A young adult 

2 swan was 

brought in after 

getting tangled in 

a fishing line. The 

line had dug deep 

into his skin, so we 

had to disinfect 

the wounds and 

treat with antibiotics and pain relief. 

Sadly, we see too many birds with 

these kinds of injuries. 

Sparky the 

3 snake’s 

owner noticed 

a large 

swelling 

develop near 

his head. We 

diagnosed an 

abscess which had to be drained and 

cleaned under anaesthetic. 

Poppy got 

4 her foot 

stuck in the 

door and was in 

a lot of pain. 

Luckily nothing 

was broken, and 

she went home 

with pain relief and strict orders to 

take it easy. 

This kitty was 

5 only days old 

when she was 

found. She was 

fostered by one 

of our nurses 

and is now a 

strong cat. 

Take a Break Pets 31 

Photos: Shutterstock

Fiction 

A little girl 

was missing — 

but someone 

knew where 

she was… 

Gazing out of the 

kitchen window, Rob 

Burrows frowned. 

His wife Helen 

looked worried as she hurried 

across the farmyard after a trip 

to the nearby village. 

‘Everything OK, love?’ he 

asked, as she bustled in and put 

her shopping on the table. 

‘Not really,’ she replied. ‘A little 

girl has gone missing overnight.’ 

Helen explained she had just 

bumped into a teacher from the 

local school, who’d told her that 

14-year-old Abi Reid hadn’t been 

in her bed that morning when 

her mother went to wake her up. 

The poor woman was 

understandably beside herself 

with worry and had immediately 

alerted the police. 

Now, a search had been 

launched, with villagers combing 

the surrounding countryside. 

‘Abi’s teacher said it was very 

ROSIE 

out of character for the girl to 

run off,’ Helen added. ‘What on 

earth can have happened to her?’ 

Rob shook his head, then 

looked at the clock. He wanted 

to join the hunt for Abi, but it 

was almost four in the afternoon 

to the 

and the cattle needed to be 

brought in for milking. 

Reading his mind, Helen said: 

‘I’ll check out our fields, you can 

join me later.’ 

‘Thanks, love,’ Rob said, 

kissing his wife on the cheek. 

RESCUE 

Then he pulled on his jacket 

and grabbed the keys to his Jeep. 

Driving along a lane, he 

spotted a police car parked on 

the verge. Pulling up next to it, 

he saw his friend PC Dave Fraser 

at the wheel. 

‘Any sign of the girl?’ Rob asked, 

leaning out of the Jeep window. 

‘Afraid not,’ Dave replied 

seriously. ‘It’s a total mystery. 

Her mother says, as far as she 

knew, Abi wasn’t in any kind of 

trouble. She hadn’t talked about 

being bullied at school and was 

doing well in her lessons.’ 

‘What about boyfriends?’ Rob 

asked. ‘That was my first 

thought.’ 

‘None we know of,’ 

Dave said. ‘We’ll just 

‘I’ll join 

the search 

as soon as 

I can’ 

have to hope she 

turns up soon. 

The longer she’s 

missing, the more 

worrying the 

situation is.’ 

Rob agreed. 

‘I’ll join the search as 

soon as I can,’ he said, 

before driving off. 

After the cattle had been 

milked, Rob had just one more 

job to do. Every day, he liked to 

check on Rosie. 

The gentle chestnut mare had 

been a part of the family for 

years. Rob’s two children, who 

were now grown up and at uni, 

had learnt to ride on her. Now, 

she was spending a well-earned 

retirement in the lower meadow. 

‘Hello, old girl,’ Rob grinned 

as he walked up to her as she 

stood looking over the gate. 

Snorting, Rosie shook her head 

and closed her liquid black eyes 

while Rob stroked her soft nose. 

‘What’s this then?’ Rob said, 

noticing twigs and leaves stuck 

in the horse’s mane. 

Picking them out, he then saw 

that Rosie’s legs were smeared 

with mud. 

Rob glanced towards the gully 

at the bottom of the field. Had 

Rosie somehow got into the 

boggy marshland on the other 

side of the fence? 

Going into the meadow, Rob 

walked down to the gully, with 

Rosie slowly plodding behind. 

‘Stay here, girl,’ he said as he 

went to inspect the fence. 

Sure enough, a section of it 

was broken. Rosie must have 

strayed through the gap. 

Thank goodness she hadn’t 

got stuck in the deep mud. 

‘Right, I better mend this as 

soon as possible,’ Rob sighed, 

pushing back his cap and patting 

Rosie’s neck. 

Suddenly, the horse reared her 

head and started towards the 

gap in the fence. 

‘Whoa, girl!’ Rob said, trying 

to hold her back. 

Only, Rosie determinedly 

pushed onwards into the 

undergrowth. 

‘Come back!’ Rob called as he 

followed, brambles catching on 

his corduroy trousers. 

The horse eventually came to 

a halt in a clearing, her hooves 

sinking in the mud. Then 

she whinnied loudly. 

Rob shook his head 

in frustration. 

‘Come on, old girl, 

don’t be silly…’ 

Suddenly, there was 

a whimpering sound, 

like a trapped animal. 

Rob stood stock-still, 

straining to hear it again. 

Where was it coming from? 

‘Help me,’ came a feeble 

voice. ‘Over here…’ 

‘Abi?’ Rob shouted. ‘Is that you?’ 

Pushing through the tangle of 

branches and weeds, he saw the 

scarlet of the girl’s jumper. 

Huddled under a bush and 

covered in mud, the teenager 

looked up at him with terrified 

eyes, then burst into tears. 

‘It’s OK, Abi, it’s OK!’ Rob said 

gently. ‘You’re safe now.’ 

Through heaving sobs, Abi 

pointed at her leg, which was 

twisted at an odd angle. 

‘I can’t walk!’ she babbled. 

‘I’ve been screaming, but no 

one came!’ 

‘Shhh!’ Rob soothed, putting 

his jacket around her. 

Then he took out his phone 

and dialled 999. 

‘Ambulance, please…’ 

Three days later, Rob and 

Helen were sitting beside Abi’s 

hospital bed. Her mother had 

popped out for a coffee. Abi’s 

leg had been broken and, once 

again, she was in tears. 

‘I’m really sorry, Mr Burrows,’ 

she sniffled. ‘I love horses and 

I just wanted to ride Rosie, so I 

snuck out after dark.’ 

‘It could have been much 

worse, Abi,’ Rob said in a serious 

tone. ‘You were very lucky. If it 

had been winter...’ 

‘I know,’ she replied. 

‘I wanted to make 

Rosie jump the fence, 

but she just broke it 

and went through. I 

think she panicked a 

bit, then I fell off.’ 

Rob sighed as Abi 

continued to sob. 

‘Rosie’s very old, Abi,’ 

he said. ‘And you can’t just make 

a horse jump like that, in the 

dark, without a saddle and a 

bridle. You weren’t even 

wearing a riding hat.’ 

‘I’m sure Abi has learnt her 

lesson, love,’ Helen said, 

squeezing her husband’s 

hand. ‘She won’t do it again.’ 

Abi shook her head 

vigorously, then looked at 

Rob with pleading eyes. 

‘But Rosie did save me, 

didn’t she? She brought you 

to me.’ 

‘I suppose she did,’ Rob 

smiled. 

‘Can I come and see her 

to thank her? Please…’ 

Two months later, Abi’s 

mum dropped her off at 

Rob’s farm. 

Still on crutches, Abi 

sheepishly got out of the 

car holding on to a wicker 

basket full of treats for 

‘Come 

on, old 

girl, don’t 

be silly’ 

Rosie, as well as a bouquet of 

flowers for Helen. 

‘Rosie’s waiting for you,’ Rob 

smiled, taking the basket and 

flowers. Then he helped Abi into 

his Jeep and they headed to the 

lower meadow. 

As they pulled up at the gate, 

Abi strained to see the chestnut 

mare. Then her eyes grew wide. 

Helen was leading the horse 

towards them. 

‘Rosie’s wearing a 

saddle and bridle!’ Abi 

gasped. 

‘Yes, they used to 

belong to my kids,’ 

Rob grinned. ‘There’s 

a hat back at the 

farm. When you’re 

better, you can come 

and ride Rosie after 

school. I’m not a bad teacher...’ 

‘Oh, Mr Burrows!’ Abi 

squealed, throwing her arms 

around him. 

‘Just one thing, though,’ he 

laughed. ‘Rosie has told me her 

jumping days are over!’ 


By Rosamund Eyre Take a Break Pets 35 

Photos: Alamy/Getty/Shutterstock

Our pets 

The mice who 

Rodent hog 

came to tea 

There are two families living at the bottom 

of our garden, and they’re causing quite 

a stir… By Gez Robinson, 60 

Stepping out of my back 

door, I took a deep 

breath and instantly 

felt myself relax. 

Every afternoon, once I 

finished my job as an engineer 

for the local authority, I headed 

out into the garden to top up the 

bird feeders and have a potter. 

My wife Amanda and I were 

passionate about wildlife 

and had tried to create 

a haven for all 

creatures great 

and small. 

At the bottom of 

our plot stood 

Honeysuckle 

Cottage, a two-storey 

playhouse I’d built for 

my daughter Lucy when 

she’d been four years old. Now 

she was 17 and the wendy house 

— which we mainly used for 

storage — had seen better days. 

We’d allowed the area 

surrounding it to grow wild, and 

it was a tangle of foliage, fruit 

trees and blackberry thickets. 

If you were quiet, you 

could often spot a 

hedgehog snuffling, a 

frog leaping or a fox 

slinking around there. 

For years I’d been a 

keen photographer, and 

since the onset of the 

first lockdown a few 

weeks earlier, I’d 

snapped away at the 

finches, tits and robins 

that fluttered to feast on 

our feeders. 

Only today, I spotted a 

different subject. From 

‘Oh, 

there 

you are, 

Stumpy!’ 

the corner of my eye, I clocked a 

little mouse dart on to the old 

decking of Honeysuckle Cottage 

and examine a low-hanging 

blackberry. 

‘Stay there,’ I said under my 

breath, tiptoeing indoors to get 

my camera. 

Then I crept back outside 

and was delighted to see my 

mouse visitor was still 

in position. 

As I clicked away, 

more of the critter’s 

furry family joined. 

I caught them eating, 

playing and in a later 

photograph, it even 

looked like a pair of 

them were dancing! 

When the performance was 

over, I went inside to show 

Amanda. 

‘They’re great!’ she said. ‘You 

know who’d love them — the 

grandchildren.’ 

‘You’re right,’ I replied. 

Nine-year-old Noah and 

seven-year-old Minnie were our 

Tea time 

eldest daughter Fiona’s children, 

and our rodent residents would 

be right up their street. 

The pandemic meant we 

couldn’t see them, so I sent the 

images over in an email. 

Grandad, they’re amazing! 

they replied. 

Days passed and I kept taking 

photographs of our new 

neighbours and sharing them 

with Noah and Minnie. 

Inspired by the kids’ reaction, 

I popped the photos on my 

social media too. And the images 

really struck a chord 

with people. 

Me So, when Noah and 

Minnie were finally able 

to visit and suggested 

setting up a Facebook 

page dedicated to the 

mice, I agreed. 

‘What shall we call it?’ 

I asked. 

‘How about The 

Mouse family that live 

by the brambles?’ Noah 

suggested. 

‘Great name!’ I replied. 

After that, I took and 

uploaded photos of the mice 

most days. Sometimes my furry 

friends would be waiting for me, 

other times they appeared on 

hearing my voice, or I coaxed 

them out with sunflower hearts. 

On occasion, I’d been known 

to wait three or four hours for 

them to show themselves! 

The longer I kept at it, the 

more I learnt about our dinky 

dwellers. There were two mouse 

families who lived underneath 

and the other side of 

Honeysuckle Cottage. 

One had six members, the 

other seven, and they certainly 

didn’t get on. I often caught the 

different broods scuffling with 

one another. 

Months went by, and I grew 

really attached to my mouse 

mates. I named them and began 

to worry if I hadn’t seen one in 

a while. 

‘Oh, there you are Stumpy!’ 

I cheered, when I spotted a 

mouse that hadn’t been around 

for months. 

But it wasn’t just me who 

formed a connection with the 

adorable animals. 

Before I knew it, thousands of 

people were following their 

antics on Facebook. 

Some dedicated followers 

even sent gifts, such as 

birdhouses that had been 

adapted into a mouse restaurant 

and café. 

Soon, my shoots 

became more 

adventurous. 

Alongside natural 

snaps of them 

nibbling peaches 

and drinking water, 

I caught the mice 

interacting with props 

— such as a mouse-sized 

motorbike, a compact camera 

kit and a teeny tea set. 

The response they got was 

as humbling as it was heartwarming. 

Many got in touch 

saying my mouse updates had 

helped them feel less alone 

during the pandemic. 

Others said it had made them 

completely rethink their opinion 

on wild mice. 

A nurse even got in touch to 

Dad’s 

face 

would 

light up 

tell me that she and her 

colleagues called them the 

‘Covid Meeces’. 

We take an iPad around 

during our ward visits, and 

cheer patients up by showing 

them the latest mousy mischief, 

she wrote. 

While it was incredible to 

see the impact the mice were 

having all over the world, 

they had a profound 

effect much closer to 

home too. 

My dad Eric 

suffered severely 

with Alzheimer’s and 

dementia, and my 

mum June was his 

full-time carer. 

Every weekend they visited 

our home in Rotherham, South 

Yorkshire, for a roast. And they 

both loved sitting in the garden 

and watching the wildlife. 

Dad’s face would light up 

when he saw the mice scurrying 

about, and he liked to count 

those he could see. 

His conditions could be so 

cruel, so it was a comfort to all 

of us to see him content and at 

peace in those moments. 

Now my lockdown hobby has 

grown far bigger than I could 

ever have imagined. 

Our Facebook page has more 

than 28,000 followers, I’ve just 

released a calendar of my mouse 

photos to raise money for the 

Alzheimer’s Society, and a book 

about the critters is in the 

pipeline. It has been wonderful 

to spread a bit of joy during 

what has been a testing time for 

so many. 

They may be tiny, but the mice 

of Honeysuckle Cottage have 

made a huge impression! 

● For more information, search 

‘The Mouse family that live by 

the brambles’ on Facebook. 



Berry cute 

Say cheese 

Me, Noah 

and Minnie 

Photo: Dave Poucher

TaB Pets mini mag

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