We were told about an English lady who bred Russells in Brittany and so Paul drove a very long way to fetch the girl puppy I had reserved and came back with 2 pups, Lily and Paddy.  We have since discovered that the breeder was very irresponsible and that her stock of 10 adults were interbreeding, a fact which without a shadow of a doubt, caused Paddy's bone structure problems. Lily also has some minor problems but nothing serious, at the moment anyway.

One look at Paddy told me that he was all wrong, his front end was powerful and strong but his chest was miles too large for his body and his back end was weak and feeble and X rays showed the structure to be very poor. However, we loved him and vowed to just do our best for the little chap who had the prettiest face and the sweetest nature. We came back to England last year and brought all our pets on the pet passport scheme but sadly, just before we left, our old German Shepherd died aged about 12/13 (rescued so we aren't sure).  Paddy had to be put to sleep on October 15th, almost two weeks ago as he was in pain, his hips could no longer carry him and he had started to go blind too, his medical problems were numerous.

Paddy

This is a picture of my precious little angel “Peppa” 13 years ago when moving it our first home together my husband and I decided we would like a dog.   The first dog I viewed had previously been starved and beaten.  She was so thin and frail yet the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.  I instantly fell in love.  I helped her through her fears; her many operations and her ongoing epilepsy.  In return she gave me the strength to cope with my long term neurological condition.  She quickly became the centre of my world, my real life angel.

She had a huge character, she was a bundle of happiness and she was so clever and knowing.  At Christmas time she would get up every morning, go out and have a wee and come running back in to her advent calendar.  There was no way I could forget!  She loved her babies (toys) and every night she would soft through them deciding which one to take to bed.  She was such a pleasure. 

Eventually after many benign tumours which were all successfully removed she was diagnosed with having an aggressive lymphoma (cancer at an incurable stage).  She was given 8 to 12 weeks to live.  We were devastated.  The time came a heart breaking eleven and a half  weeks after her diagnosis, my precious little girl deserved nothing less than to pass away peacefully in the comfort of her own home.  The vet came on Sunday 22^nd October 2006 at 7pm.  She had died in my arms with all her family around her.

Peppa

My husband, my parents and my brother.  We kept her with us over night and the next afternoon we drove her to Hereford where she was cremated alone.  We waited and brought her ashes home with us the same afternoon.  I have had a star in the sky named after her in her memory.  It is called “Wiggey Anne (Peppa)” as Wiggey Anne is what we always called her.  Also in an attempt to keep her with me always I have had her ashes made into a diamond and set into a ring that I wear always.  I will never let her go.  I will cherish our memories for always and I love her for eternity.

Finally I want to say “thank you for the days Wiggey”.