Tony Lucas is one of our New Zealand representatives. We first published his work in the 2008 Yearbook when he wrote us an overview of New Zealand cryptozoology. New Zealand is a particularly fascinating place because of its zoological isolation from the rest of the world. However, something that indeed marks him as an essential member of the CFZ is his love of animals, and the way he spoils his little dog Suzy....Jon,
as you recently acquired Biggles, a fine looking young fellow, I thought I write and tell you the story of Suzy. A couple of years ago some friends of ours were moving into a new house that wouldn't allow Pets, they had recently acquired a new puppy and were thinking of giving it to the local pound. It was instant love between us and Suzy, and though not intending to get a dog we said we would take her.
Things went very well and Suzy was treated like one of the family, in fact if anything over spoiled.
About eight months after getting her she went out into the backyard to go about her business, she seemed to have been gone for an extraordinarily long time so we went out to check on her, to our utter shock she was not there.
A search was mounted and seen the word spread that Suzy was missing, a lot of people in the neighbourhood knew us and began to join the search as well.
They you Suzy was particularly important to me, as due to illness I have to rest, and every afternoon around 1 PM Susie would round me up, made me lie down on the couch and lay across my chest so I could not get up. Once she had decided her daddy had rested enough she would let me up.
We put up posters and due to some contacts with the local newspaper a story was published about Suzy's disappearance.
We checked the pound and veterinary clinics in the area, as in New Zealand all dogs that do not work on farms are supposed to be micro chipped, which Suzy was. If anyone brought her in it would surely be picked up and we would be notified.
The newspaper article was published but by now it was three days since she had gone missing,
I began to despair thinking that quite possibly now she had either been used for dogfights, a despicable practice but one which does go on in many areas of this country, or had otherwise died from fretting.
The following morning, early as I remember, around 5 am my son heard a noise at the front door and opened the door to find Suzy standing there. She was thin and very weak but she was Home. Examining her paws she had obviously been kept in somebody's garage as there was oil on her paws and they were raw from we're she had obviously been burrowing to get out.
We took her to the Vet, who made an incredible fuss of her as they knew us well and Suzy, a big bag was hauled out and loaded with toys and goodies and given to Suzy totally free of charge. The vet examined her and said that she had not eaten, was slightly dehydrated and although weak was okay.
He told us the main time to watch would be that night, as shock may set in and could kill her.
We spent the rest of that day giving her small amounts of food and water and she was so glad to be back home.
As the evening drew on however, she seemed to deteriorate and got worse and worse. We decided to use some Bach Rescue Remedy, a natural remedy which is often pulled out animals through when they have been extremely unwell. Not having any on hand a mercy dash to the late-night pharmacy produced a bottle. After the first dose Suzy seemed to show improvement and we sat with her all night stroking her and letting them know how much she was loved, and that she was home and safe.
By the next morning Susy was her old energetic self and once again, as she has always done, bounced from room to room waking up the family and telling them it was time to get up.
All this happened a year ago this week.
Suzy is still as bouncy as ever, treated like a spoiled child and just that little bit extra special, as she came back to us.
We are fostering a 5-year-old bulldog/ boxer cross who was rescued from a puppy farm. She has been through a horrid time for most of her life so far and is not in the best physical condition. She has already decided that she adores Corinna and follows her everywhere around the house.
We haven't named her yet although several names, including Prudence, have been mooted. We don't even know whether we shall be able to keep her although early signs are, one has to admit, encouraging.
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