Animal Invasions

Posted by Colin Harvey Aug 29, 2009

Poor Alice. Our little blue roan cocker spaniel has gotten used to being an only dog since Chloe died last year.

Last week we found a baby hedgehog lying in the hedgerow in broad daylight, so we took him home and rang the British Hedgehog Preservation Society for advice. On their suggestion we fed him some cooked chicken breast, and water with sugar and salt to drink. We named him Spike (of course). His eating what Alice considers her chicken made Alice very jealous. Later on he clambered out his box and did a runner across the graden, but had o hold onto him until it was dark enough to let him out. And then he was gone.

No sooner has Alice recovered from the shock of some spiny interloper eating her chicken than Kate's sister calls in a panic; their regular dog-sitter has let them down -- can we take Phoebe, their dog? No problem, Kate tells them. So this weekend Alice has to suffer the indignity of a younger, cuter dog continually presenting us with her ball to be thrown for her to chase. Alice promptly retires, muttering, to a darkened corner from which to scowl out at the world.

And as if that weren't bad enough, next weekend Kate's parents will be coming to stay with their dog Meg. Not only is Meg every bit as bouncy as Phoebe, but she isn't scared of Alice, so will pester her mercilessly, for all Alice's growling. For 48 hours, we will have three dogs in the house.

Poor Alice. It's enough to make an old dog pack her bags and head for the animal shelter, herself...