Yesterday the hysterical barking reached new levels, when two very special visitors arrived, just to see Poppie.
Bob and Jane are local expats - they live a couple of miles outside Céreste. A couple of years ago, they became aware of two puppies that had been dumped in the forest near their house. The pups were petrified of all humans and other dogs, which leaves one wondering just what exactly was done with them.
Bob and Jane went out in all weathers to feed them for weeks and weeks, trying to build their trust, but the pups were still too scared to approach them.
They tried using a special trap, baiting it with food, but to no avail.
Eventually, in desperation, as winter was starting to set in, they drugged the food and waited for the drugs to take affect. Poppie soon began to show signs of sedation, and although she never lost consciousness, she became groggy enough that they were able to catch her. The other pup, who they called Freddie, unfortunately wasn't affected by the drug - her adrenaline levels must have been too high. She bolted and ran off into the woods, while Poppie was brought home.
Rod and Gilla, whose house we are renting, had recently said their final goodbyes to their canine friend of many years, and weren't ready for another dog. Jane cunningly asked if they would foster Poppie for a little while and she's been here ever since! She's a lovely dog, fully adapted to domesticated life, and gets on great with visiting dogs and the resident cats.
Jane and Poppie still share a special bond, though, and they were both ecstatic to see each other!
As for Freddie, they still leave food out for her and catch occasional glimpses of her living her wild life in the woods.
No comments:
Post a Comment