Chris Meistre

Two weeks ago saw another tragedy hit our lives.  We lost another of our fur-children (as Bernadette calls them).  It came so sudden and I feel that I’m still in shock about how it happened.

In April 2008 we were out driving through the Zwartkops Estuary and as we got closer to Redhouse we noticed a little creature walking towards us on the path we were driving.  I slowed down thinking it was perhaps a wild cat, and didn’t want to startle it.  I stopped right next to it thinking it was going to run away any second.  What turned out to be a puppy then surprised us by not running away but just almost collapsing next to the car.

Quickly we got out and picked her up.  The only thing we had with us that day was some Energade, so we decided to give her some because she looked very dehydrated.  A million thoughts and questions started going through our minds.  Where did she come from, are there more, has someone perhaps been hurt in the bush, etc.  We decided to drive around and look to see if there perhaps wasn’t a mother with some more puppies lying around in the bush.

After driving around for a while and looking around we couldn’t find anything.  We drove around Redhouse and asked a couple of people if they recognize the puppy and also went to find out by the community centre.  Unfortunately no one knew.

As we couldn’t just leave her, we decide to take her home.  She was riddled with fleas and ticks.  The evening we cleaned her up and introduced her to our 3 other children.  They took to her quite well and a lot quicker than we initially thought.

The next morning we took her to the VET to get her immune injections and to just check up on her to see that she is healthy.  He estimated her at about 5-7 weeks old.

Over the next couple of days we noticed that she is blind.  To what degree we are still not sure.  Sometimes she would bump into things but other times she would run around the house as if she could see every obstacle in her way.  She became an inspiration for us.  A small little puppy able to overcome being abandoned and then having to deal with blindness on top of that.  That didn’t stop her though.  She was playful and ready to stand up to her brothers if they wanted to play too rough with her.

Sunday, 1 November 2009, we woke up to her looking very weak and puking.  We immediately took her to the VET to see what was wrong.  All her vitals were showing normal, her heart was beating fine and even a blood sample didn’t show up anything serious.  She was given antibiotics and something for the nausea.  We would monitor her for the evening and take her back in the morning if it didn’t come right.

I felt so sorry for her seeing her so weak.  It still haunts me when I think back to it.  I hate it that we are sometimes put in a position where something is clearly asking for your help, but you either don’t know what to do or there isn’t anything you can do but hope.

On Monday morning she was still not looking better, so we got her to the VET again.  This time they booked her in to monitor her during the day and get her on a drip.

14:00 that afternoon we got a call from the VET.  Bernadette was the one to answer the phone, while we were both driving in town.  Immediately from the way Bernadette started speaking on the phone I knew what she was about to tell me when she put it down.  Cache had started vomiting and then just collapsed and passed away.

My immediately response was anger towards the VET.  I wondered what the fuck they did wrong.  We drove to the VET, and in the 5 minutes it took us to get there I had calmed myself down.  I realised then and I still do that it was not their fault.  On the phone they told us it looked like it was perhaps poison that caused it.

They let us into a room where she was laying on the table.  The VET came in and explained again what happened and asked if it would be okay if they do an autopsy to help establish what went wrong.  We insisted they do especially if it is something that might affect our other babies.  He left us alone with her.

She laid there with her little mouth open a bit, a sight I’ll never forget.  I felt so sad and so angry at the same time.  Not angry at anyone in specific, just ANGRY.

A few days later we were told that what she had contracted was quite a rare disease.  It’s something that had swollen up her intestines.

We still wonder why she has been taken away from us after such a short time.  One thing is for sure, she brought in a lot of happiness into our lives!

RIP Cache, we will always love and remember our little Princess.

Bernadette wrote this, which I think pretty much sums up Cache:

From the day you chose us til the day you left us was a blessed day each and every day.
You couldn’t see us but loved us so purely.
You didn’t let your brothers bully you, you stood your ground even though you were the smallest.
Your favourite snack was Marie Biscuits, just like mommy.
You loved driving with daddy.
You… gave us inspiration because of what you overcame in your short little life.
We can’t believe you won’t lovingly growl at us anymore or get excited about hearing your pellets fall in your bowl or cry in frustration coz you can’t see the water.
It isn’t fair but you left such an inprint we will NEVER EVER forget you and feel so utterly blessed for the time you gave us.