by Janine Cornish
I'm really not sure how to start this... I've been sitting here for ages with a million words running through my head.. none of which seem capable of conveying the things I want to write. I guess perhaps I should just start at the begining...
Zoe came into this world on 27th June, 1996. She was born in Melbourne, Australia and later came to Tasmania with a breeder of Shetland Sheepdogs from this state. Our family had decided that we would like another dog.. one that could learn off Emma.. and maybe make Emma herself feel a little younger. So after making some enquires I found that the breeder would be willing to part with Zoe as when she attained her full growth she would be below exact showing height. The whole family went out to look at her and we decided there and then to take her. She was such a tiny little thing with such a sweet face.. sort of a minature Sheltie... but perfectly proportioned in every way.
When we took her home she was 3 months old.. And she took to living with us right away.. She was a little nervous at first.. but soon fitted right in! She was soon my Emma dog's little shadow.. everywhere Em went Zoe was always a step behind. And the mischief she got into!!! My goodness! She could get her paws into so much trouble! It was unbelieveable that one little dog could do so much damage!
She liked digging holes in Dad's lawn.. with her nose! She would also eat Mum's plants and up-end any pot plants so she could play with their plastic containers.. Talk about a garden wrecker!! Emma had nothing on her! One of her favourite things to do was to wait til dad was folding up the washing just off the line.. then she would bolt through it all and pinch one of the balls of rolled up socks and shake it til it came unrolled! I think that is when dad started calling her "You rotten mongrel b*****d of a thing"! He never meant it though! She did all she could to keep the name! She was sweet though.. as she got older she developed the most beautiful personality.. she was so loving.. always wanting to be held or patted.. She would snuggle right up close to you with her head under your chin.. I always said that she had the fastest tongue in the South! And she was always using it!
She never grew very big.. at 12 months old she was only three quarters the size of Emma.. Which in a way was a perfect size for her.. cause she liked snuggling so much.. She would also run half way across the floor in our dining room.. throw herself into the air and hope that you would catch her as you were sitting on the couch.. Laughs... She scared me more than once let me tell you! There is nothing like sitting on the couch half asleep and having a wriggly little licking machine land on you at 100 miles an hour!!
She had some funny little quirks about her that I have never seen on any other dog.. for one she would chase her tail.. Now I can hear you saying what's so unusual about that! But have you ever seen a dog chase it's tail while laying on it's back with all four legs waving madly? Laughs... And she would always catch it too! One of the funniest things she would do was grin at you.. She would sort of roll her lips back a bit so you could see her teeth all the way round then look at you with such a cheeky look.. Sometimes she would even do it laying upside down of her back.. She looked like a little shark.. It was such a cute look!
And now she is gone.... We buried her in the rain... It was kind of appropriate really... You could hardly tell our tears from those falling from the sky.
The dogs from next door had pushed down the fence enough to drag her through.. and they killed her. I guess we will never really know what happened.. Dad left Emma and Zoe for maybe 30 minutes to go pick up Mum.. When he came back Zoe was missing.. They called for her.. but she didn't come.. Mum went out the gate to see if she could see her.. and just happened to look next door.. Her little warm golden body was lying on the grass bleeding.. Dad went and got her and rushed her to the vet to see if there was anything that could be done for her.. But she was already dead..
They called me and I got home just as he brought her back from the vet.. Mum told me she was dead and I just couldn't believe it.. The vet had put her in a black plastic bag and sealed it up.. She wouldn't have liked that.. she never liked touching plastic or anything.. So Dad undid the bag and I got her out.. She was still warm for godsake.. All covered in blood and saliva from next doors dogs.. Her little ear was bent back.. I gently pushed it back.. The poor little girl.. I went and got her wombat.. it was her favourite toy she carried it everywhere.. Then I put her in a blanket and put the wombat between her paws.. And wrapped her up.. Dad dug a grave for her.. and we buried her as the rain fell and Emma tried desperately to find out what was wrong with her friend...
Honestly.. it just had to be one the most heartbreaking moments of my entire life.. She was just a puppy.. Just a gentle sweet little puppy.. When they attacked her she wouldn't have known what was going on.. She would have just cowered there.. or maybe tried to run.. I don't know.. She wouldn't have been able to get away from two of them though.. I can only hope she didn't suffer too much.. she didn't deserve that.. no way..
I guess this entry is my way of making a memorial for her.. one that others can read and imagine what a lovely puppy she was.. My memories of her will stay in my heart.. forever and ever.. That is my true memorial..