There have been some unusual dog stories in the news recently. Sophie Tucker the black cattle dog fell from her owner's boat amid stormy weather off the coast of Australia. Her owners assumed the worst when she didn't reappear. However, Sophie turned up months later on St. Bees Island after locals reported her to rangers. Apparently Sophie had swum six miles through shark infested water to get to the island. Living wild, she had managed to hunt a few young goats, when the only alternative to fending for herself was to starve. Her owner is surprised and delighted to have her dog back. Sophie was incredibly lucky to survive the swim alone, let alone several months on her own, and it just shows that sometimes even when the odds are stacked against you, you can still have a happy ending.
Many dog owners struggle to meet unexpected vet bills, so spare a thought for Great Dane owner Sorrel Porteous who had to find £10, 000 (around $15,000)when her dog needed treatment after he collapsed while out on a walk. Bear the Great Dane had a twisted spleen and heart problems, and to raise cash Sorrel put her stables up for sale and sold five horses. When that wasn't enough, she turned to the Internet. Generous Facebook members donated enough money to pay for Bear's treatment, and he is now restored to health. A great story, and a reminder that having pet insurance in place is the best way to go.
Puppies - and some adult dogs - eat the strangest things. A Spaniel cross puppy called Chewy Chewy managed to ingest a baby's dummy (pacifier). Unfortunately he was unable to pass it through his system, and his owner consulted her local PDSA hospital. The necessary operation was more complicated than usual due to the small size of the four month old pup's intestine, but thankfully, Chewy was soon back at home. His owners are being a lot more careful about what they leave out around him. I hope he sticks to dog toys from now.
My favourite dog related news story is the Sydney Daily Telegraph newspaper photographer who was put in the royal Corgis' room at Buckingham Palace while he waited for the Queen. He was instructed not to film in the room, but of course he couldn't resist the opportunity and that link has a short video shot while he waited. It's lovely to see the dog bowls around the room, the bone emblazoned towels, and the painting of the Corgis on the wall. It may be a palace but it's still home to the Corgis.
If that story of Sophie Tucker surviving against the odds has whet your appetite, check out this list of the top ten animal survival stories - three of them are dogs.
Take care,
Julie x