‘Mum, I bought a dog
We sacked the Security Guard and I spent $5 on a puppy
He’s covered in fleas but he’s very cute’…
Daughter Number One is in Africa.
She is living with no running water, infrequent electricity, sporadic internet and this mutt.
Saturday Critters: New Guard dog!
Her e-mail arrives whilst we are in New York on holiday.
The next day we find ourselves wandering round the American Museum of National History
I am drawn to the African Mammals
and wonder how many of these exotic animals she will get to see during her time in Africa?
‘Suppose it could be worse – she could have a pet monkey or pigmy hippo?!
Black and White Colobus Monkeys
American Natural History Museum, New York
So unable to forget about this poor flea infested dog,
I’m in the pet shop a few weeks later…
‘I need some worming and flea treatment for a puppy’.
‘No worries – How old is the dog?’…. ‘Ermm not sure’
‘Weight?’…. ‘Dunno’
‘What bred?’ …. ‘ummm hard to say, but mixed’
I get out my phone and show off the puppy photo like a proud Grandma!
‘He’s this big, this heavy and this type!’
I tell the rather surprised sales assistant.
I tell the rather surprised sales assistant.
I’m feeling sorry for the puppy
who by this stage has been washed in salt water,
but all that did was make all the little critters run to his head.
They tried Dettol, but that just made everyone wet, cross and
… covered in fleas.
AND whilst you and I may take for granted the simple act of washing our dogs,
my daughter is living with out any running water
there is no posh doggie wash down the street to bath the grubby mongrel.
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| The Crazy Poodle enjoys a blow dry at our local dog wash! |
More importantly I am keen to ensure the dog is tick and worm free
to avoid passing on these nasties to my daughter!
Although this may be the least of our worries…
‘Mum – they want to call him “Ebola, but I’ve banned this name’
They, being the others on the Project, with their quirky sense of humour,
and Ebola, being the deadly Ebola virus disease which so far has claimed over 140 lives
The World Health Organisation has called this latest outbreak
“one of the most challenging… that we have ever faced”
The outbreak is limited to two West African nations Guinea and Liberia,
where my daughter is working.
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| The Kok-Pak entertainment mask from Val & Gola tribes, Liberia American Museum of National History, New York |
‘Don’t worry Mum, he’s been vomiting up all night
if he survives we’ll take him to the Vet…’
‘He better survive’, I e-mail back,
‘He’s your guard dog and he cost you a quarter of your months wages!’
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| African Oryx: American Museum of Natural History |
You’ll be pleased to know he has survived and the next e-mail arrives:
‘Mum, he’s doing really well
We’ve been giving him sausages and he’s getting fatter…
He’s starting to bark…’
That’s good news, always handy to have a guard dog that can bark…
I couldn’t resist putting the same photo in again, so…
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| Saturday Critters: New guard dog! |
Here he is, the cute little mongrel
Would anyone have any idea was sort of African dog he can be?
I’ve sent my parcel off to Liberia, which cost an absolute fortune.
My DH suggests it would have been cheaper to buy an airline ticket and drop it off!
It did include flea treatment, worming tablets, heart worm and tick prevention… after another e-mail
‘Mum, we found more ticks on him’
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| Alphabe Thursday Z is for Zebras – America Museum of Natural History, New York |
Hurry up Mr DHL Postman…
Although even that’s not that easy,
The parcel will arrive in Monrovia, a three hour drive to collect…
I’m waiting for the next e-mail
‘Mum he hasn’t got fleas or ticks any more
can I bring him back to Australia?!’
Hope you are having a lovely week!
Linking with Our World Tuesday Thanks to all the hosts.
Linking with Saturday’s Critters – thanks to Eileen
And Alphabe Thursday Z is for Zebra
