Sugarlump

This dear little Jack Russell came into our care after being rescued at the Stow-on-the-Wold Horse Fair. She had been very ill-treated and had obviously had puppies quite recently as she was still producing milk. She had severe bruising on her abdomen – possibly from being kicked. Her tail had been brutally cut off very close to her body – no doubt without any anaesthetic. She was the most terrified, pathetic little girl and could not stop shaking with fear. Every trace of her terrier temperament seemed to have been beaten out of her. She was frightened of everything. She went out into the garden with the other dogs but would not come back in again. I would try to coax her in but she just rolled over onto her back trembling in terror. I always had to go out and pick her up and carry her in. I can only guess that she was not allowed inside the caravan belonging to the travellers who had owned her. I think she probably had to make her bed underneath the van on a pile of rags. I often observed her trying to make herself a bed out of bits of rubbish.

We got her checked out by our vet as soon as we got her. She needed to be spayed but this could not be done until the bruising on her tummy had healed. In due course she went off for her operation. Chockie was so pleased to see her when she came home, fully recovered from her anaesthetic.

Sugarlump (yes it is a silly name but I can plead not guilty to that!) needed a lot of very special care and reassurance. It was not going to be a quick or easy task to turn her into the confident feisty Jack Russell which she should have been. Fortunately we had a crossbreed dog called Chockie among our little group at the time. It is strange as he was not exactly friendly towards little dogs and we were a bit careful at first. However, Sugarlump fell in love with him from the first moment. She adored him and he became her protector at all times. She would hardly ever leave his side. She would climb up onto his back and go to sleep like that. He never seemed to mind. They became inseparable and could always be seen cuddled up together. Chockie was about the size and build of a small Labrador and she was the tiniest of JR's.

Time passed and eventually dear Chockie had to leave us. He was fifteen years old and was a dearly loved boy. He had started fitting badly and was deteriorating to the point where it would have been cruel to let him go on. We all missed him greatly but none so much as Sugarlump. She was devastated at first though gradually she learned to cope. A few months later another elderly Jack Russell, Sally arrived. She was a delightful old lady and looked after Sugarlump as if she was one of her own puppies. (Sally was a farm dog and had produced many litters of puppies until she came to us. We had her spayed when a tumour was removed from her abdomen.) The two girls were devoted to each other and spent every moment of the day together. It was lovely to see them asleep in the sunshine on the grass in the garden with their paws around each other.

The months past and gradually Sugarlump gained in confidence and started to come out of her shell. It is hard to believe now that for the first year at Tailends she had no voice at all. She is now the typical yappy, ankle-biting feisty girl who typifies her breed. She has no fear of anything at all.

Sally died in June 2001. She left a big hole in our lives. You could never find a more delightful affectionate sensible and brave little girl. Sugarlump has made many friends over the years as countless dogs have come to Tailends for some comfort and care at the end of their lives. She has grown in confidence through the many friendships she has made. She now has another little dog for company who is a similar size to her. This is Tweenie, an old blind Poodle who has lived most of her life in a horrendous “Puppy Farm” situation as a breeding bitch. She was housed in a filthy overcrowded caravan with many other dogs of various breeds – all kept to provide an endless stream of puppies to feed the ever growing demand for puppies of popular breeds.

Recently Sugarlump has shown signs of her increasing age. She now has a heart murmur and needs drugs to keep this under control. Her kidneys are also failing and she cannot run around like she used to. Nowadays she is content to bark at strangers on the footpath or lie in any sunny spot that she can find. She is adept at finding the only bit of sunshine, even on cloudy days.

Her short stumpy legs have caused her problems over the last couple of years. She suffered with a ruptured cruciate ligament and then sixteen months later broke a bone in her other foot. She did love to race around like a youngster especially when chasing rabbits and also birds. Sadly she did manage to injure a young bird on one occasion as she leapt into the air and caught him by his delicate little legs. They were so severely damaged that the vet had to put him to sleep so she was in disgrace though of course it is only nature and she did not understand.

These days her walks are more leisurely. She can only manage the shorter strolls around the footpaths and fields, and has cut out the trip down to the beach first thing in the morning, which I do for the fitter dogs. She has always loathed getting wet and hates the sea so it is not too much hardship for her. She refuses to go out at all if it is raining and I have to watch out for damp patches appearing on the carpet on wet days. (No the roof doesn’t leak!)

Sugarlump is such a different dog now from that frightened little girl who had known nothing but savagery and hardship in her previous home. She may be an old girl now, but it does not affect her voice or her favourite game of tugging at the bottom of people’s trousers. She certainly lets us know if there are strangers around unlike the greyhounds who just open an eye and then continue their nap.

Our dear little girl died peacefully at home, in my arms, at around midday on Tuesday 9th May 2006 following a massive heart attack. She loved life and never allowed her failing heart or her great age to interfere with her activities. She came to us as a terrified little girl who literally shook with fear after being badly abused by her former owner who got rid of her at the Stow Horse Fair. She was very bruised both physically and mentally. Sugarlump gradually found her voice and slowly changed into a normal Jack Russell, who loved running around the footpaths and barking at visitors. Now the house is strangely quiet and the other dogs are quietly grieving for their little friend.

You have seen so many dogs come to Tailends and now you have had to leave us too. I know you are now reunited with your beloved Chockie, Sally and dear Dopey. One day we will hear your bark again and then there will be no more sadness.

Farewell until then my sweet little girl. We miss you so much. It's so painful to lose the company of someone so special.