Duncan came home from work with some upsetting news; his colleague 'B' had a beautiful big dog, brought over from the UK, about 7 years old.
Yesterday, it somehow ingested poison whilst out on a walk near Sissi and, yes, you've guessed it, died a horrible long drawn out death.
What a waste; another well loved pet is lost.
Some of you might know the story of my Bonnie; as a tiny pup she was thrown out of a moving car. I found her huddled in a corner at my greek classes; I took her home; I couldn't not.
Although Bonnie was from day one, the wrong dog for us (we lived in an apartment with two children at the time; she was to become, very quickly, biggish and very bouncy); she went from a tiny malnourished pup with rickets to a beautiful Cretan hound.
We would walk her for miles around Sissi; she had endless energy. She drove us mad but we loved her.
One morning, shortly after she was one, Duncan left for work; he sometimes took her with him if he was working alone. Before jumping in the car, she dove into the bushes for a quick pee.
Within 15 mins, in the car, she began to shiver and shake. Duncan drove home to me.
I will NEVER forget that day. It was very cold, January. I had just discovered I was pregnant with Dom. We lay Bonnie down in the spare apartment. She began to foam at the mouth and literally turn in circles on the floor, legs kicking uncontrollably. Duncan had gone to the pharmacy for an antidote.
This was, I believe, the last time Bonnie consciously knew me. I cradled her head and talked constantly to her. I put my fingers down her throat. We called our friend 'M', a local woman with big links to the Haven animal rescue charity. She said she was on her way.
Bonnie's eyes began to glaze over. She defecated on the floor. At this point I knew in my heart we were losing her. Duncan arrived with a hypodermic of antidote which I gave her but to no avail. 'M' drove me first to the Haven, more antidote, and then to the vet in Heraklion.
All through the journey, Bonnie would lie panting, shivering then every muscle would tense and she would fit wildly. It took all my strength to hold her.
The vet sedated her and gave yet more antidote but nothing was to work. My beautiful, crazy girl died of heart failure later that day.
We discovered the next day that 6 or 7 stray dogs had also been killed. Also, a greek friend of mine, from the mini golf where I worked, had also lost his canine companion of 10 years. Many locals did not seem surprised at this 'cull' although all seemed disgusted by it and expressed sympathy.
And now, today, I realise it goes on.
We now have a very small fluffy dog called Rollie; unashamedly a 'house' dog; I will never again have a big dog which needs long 'off lead' walks; I could not put myself through the pain again.
x Cretemum
Yesterday, it somehow ingested poison whilst out on a walk near Sissi and, yes, you've guessed it, died a horrible long drawn out death.
What a waste; another well loved pet is lost.
Some of you might know the story of my Bonnie; as a tiny pup she was thrown out of a moving car. I found her huddled in a corner at my greek classes; I took her home; I couldn't not.
Although Bonnie was from day one, the wrong dog for us (we lived in an apartment with two children at the time; she was to become, very quickly, biggish and very bouncy); she went from a tiny malnourished pup with rickets to a beautiful Cretan hound.
We would walk her for miles around Sissi; she had endless energy. She drove us mad but we loved her.
One morning, shortly after she was one, Duncan left for work; he sometimes took her with him if he was working alone. Before jumping in the car, she dove into the bushes for a quick pee.
Within 15 mins, in the car, she began to shiver and shake. Duncan drove home to me.
I will NEVER forget that day. It was very cold, January. I had just discovered I was pregnant with Dom. We lay Bonnie down in the spare apartment. She began to foam at the mouth and literally turn in circles on the floor, legs kicking uncontrollably. Duncan had gone to the pharmacy for an antidote.
This was, I believe, the last time Bonnie consciously knew me. I cradled her head and talked constantly to her. I put my fingers down her throat. We called our friend 'M', a local woman with big links to the Haven animal rescue charity. She said she was on her way.
Bonnie's eyes began to glaze over. She defecated on the floor. At this point I knew in my heart we were losing her. Duncan arrived with a hypodermic of antidote which I gave her but to no avail. 'M' drove me first to the Haven, more antidote, and then to the vet in Heraklion.
All through the journey, Bonnie would lie panting, shivering then every muscle would tense and she would fit wildly. It took all my strength to hold her.
The vet sedated her and gave yet more antidote but nothing was to work. My beautiful, crazy girl died of heart failure later that day.
We discovered the next day that 6 or 7 stray dogs had also been killed. Also, a greek friend of mine, from the mini golf where I worked, had also lost his canine companion of 10 years. Many locals did not seem surprised at this 'cull' although all seemed disgusted by it and expressed sympathy.
And now, today, I realise it goes on.
We now have a very small fluffy dog called Rollie; unashamedly a 'house' dog; I will never again have a big dog which needs long 'off lead' walks; I could not put myself through the pain again.
x Cretemum
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