Saving Her Bacon
I have two pet kunekune pigs called Bacon and Eggs. Sisters, they are the best of friends. A few years ago, Bacon went missing. Despite a thorough search, we couldn’t find her. Eggs still came to the gate for a feed every evening, which made me think Bacon was in real trouble, because she would never miss a meal.
Fearing the worst, I asked some friends to help me conduct another search. We found Bacon not far from home, pinned under the branch of a tree, looking very weak and tired. Around her was a pile of freshly pulled grass that her sister Eggs had gathered for her so she would have something to eat. Bacon’s survival demonstrated the remarkable power of sisterly love.
Lesley Franklin, Onerahi, Whangarei, New Zealand
Giving Cherry Cola back her sparkle
Our six German shepherds get on very well apart from the odd quarrel. One day, the two youngest pups were playing tug-of-war; for once, Cherry Cola managed to gain control of the knotted rope from her stronger cousin Rudi.
But then Rudi pinned her down, and an older female dog decided to get in on the act and help him out. By the time I got there, Cherry Cola was shaken up and limping.
I screamed at Rudi and the older female, and the rest of the dogs backed away. All, that is, except the oldest male, Khan. He went over to the rope, picked it up and carried it to Cherry Cola. He placed it at her feet, then came to sit next to me.
Gentiana Mansfield, Taree, NSW
A fond farewell to a feline friend
Much to his disgust, one birthday my dad received a kitten. The cat was white with a black exclamation mark between his ears and we named him Sadgie. Our golden labrador Mona adored the kitten and they would play-fight all the time.
Fast forward three years, and Sadgie went missing. We live in the Riverland of South Australia where there are many brown snakes about in the summer. We were all worried, particularly Mona, and after a week had passed, we were sure Sadgie had met his final match.
It was Mona who found him and carried him up to the pathway where Mum walked every morning. We buried him, and when we’d finished saying our goodbyes, Mona promptly disappeared. She came back with a bone she had refused to eat the night before. Now she put it alongside Sadgie’s grave and gave it a light covering of sand.
Mona wouldn’t eat for several days. We went to the local fodder shop and found her a new friend. She became as good as new, but from time to time she would go and lie beside Sadgie, as if to say he wasn’t forgotten.
Samantha Maywald Waikerie, SA
Border Control
Our border collie Randy is not trained as a herd dog and we’ve never kept any sheep. But she acts the part like a natural.
She circuits in the opposite direction when we lunge our horses and looks after them when they are out to graze. She also tried to keep our rabbit Gypsy, who liked to run wild for several hours a day, in order. Sometimes we would have to call Randy back, as Gypsy was old and ducked anxiously when nosy Randy came too close.
One day, they were both in the garden when Randy barked loudly. We rushed outside to see Randy standing protectively over Gypsy. Our neighbour’s new dog was trying to catch the rabbit. Randy obviously wanted to make sure that Gypsy was all right and she had called us for help.
I had lost Gypsy’s forerunner, Mimi, through another dog attack and it had taken a long time before I decided to get another rabbit. Now Randy had used her herding instinct and saved Gypsy’s life.
Leonie Buhl, Lichtenau, Germany
Stories compiled by Jenny Campbell for the book series Smarter Than Jack.
