Richard Peters -in the Sai Kung Country Park

Puppies!

Yes, yes, yes, they're very cute, but puppies are transient things: they don't stay puppy-like nearly long enough -in no time they'll be tearing around the place weeing and gnawing the chair legs.


The Memsahib's morning constitutional is a purfunctory activity and she likes to get it over and done with as quickly as possible so that everything else in the day can also get done. But, as the great Rabbie Burns once quipped, 'The best laid schemes o' mice an' men gang aft a-gley' and, at the end of her swift pedestrain perambulation to Wong Shek pier this last week, she discovered a couple of fluffy teddy bears (below) hiding amongst the bins. Seeing their pitiable state she brought these terrified two home at once -and that was it for any attempt at work for the rest of the day!

They are a delightful pair. The female's nose and pads is cutely black, the male's pink -like a little pig! Their little creamy labrador coats are in good condition, their sharp needly teeth and their stuffed bellies mean that they were only recently abandoned -one cannot help wondering quite what the poor whelping mother makes of her recent loss.

One cannot also help wondering quite what kind of person thinks it a kindness to dump puppies. I like to think of myself as possessing an even temper, able to see both sides of an argument, tolerant of diversity and respectful of opinion. That, I'm afraid to say, goes straight out of the window when I consider the imbecilic, heartless, mental machinations of someone that abandons puppies in the Country Park. Unless people (other pet owners, I presume) find them, then they'll be torn apart by feral dogs or run over by senseless speeding drivers. If they manage to avoid these dangers (by avoiding human contact), then they will slowly starve to death within a week at most. Fuck tolerance!

Despite all that, we have enjoyed hosting two more attention-hungry puppies and they have enjoyed our company, our food and our security. They're about 6 weeks old and a joy, but we decided last year that we'd not take on more than our current 3 in the near future because our career plans are likely to change and that could mean leaving HK.

Download "Daisy is a cutie" video

We have, of course, done all this before with each of our dogs; Squiddly (and her late sister) were found just outside our house under the bridge, Buster the poor emaciated English Mastiff nearly perished in the woodland around the village until the village pooled contacts and eventually found us, we saw little Ronnie wandering pitifully outside the Sai Kung McDonalds, Barka we adopted (thanks to my helpful daughter picking one up from the kind ladies at Sai Kung Stray Friends), and so on. The only dog we bought was a female Mastiff we saw being kept in a Sai Kung pet shop cage too small for it's growing body. Although she was beautiful, we eventually had to have her put down when she bit someone. One of the most unhappy things I ever had to do.

I know many are starving out there and orphanages full of abandoned children. Their needs must be met, but our environment is now also our responsibility. Those without a voice must be our concern. The rhetorical question of Cain, "Am I my brother's keeper?" (the first question in the Bible asked by a human) can, of course, only be answered in the positive. I believe this affirmation must be extended to the animals and plants of our environment. Their rights, regardless of whether they understand them or not, must be upheld -that is our job. It is our responsibility to heed the voices of the dispossessed, whether two-legged or four, which are sometimes difficult to hear.

So we have two adorable pups who will probably be rehoused quickly. They have good natures and are (relatively) clean. We're doing our bit, but someone else must adopt them, take them home and enjoy some lifelong canine company.

The Most Dangerous Animal in all Hong Kong

Nearly home after another successful performance with the Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice Choir, Steve slammed on the brakes: "Did you see the size of that snake?" We reversed back up the road to see a 2.5-3 metre python (perhaps a juvenile?) very slowly inch its way off the tarmac of the Pak Tam Road and into the undergrowth. This unhurried beast exuded strength I could sense even within the safety of Steve's Toyota Prius. Venomous it may not be, but a mean and muscley snake is best avoided, especially at night. Last week one took down a calf in our village! So a python must be the most dangerous animal in Hong Kong, surely?

Actually, the answer to this question is not immediately obvious. Consider the 'dangerous fauna' that inhabit the territory: mammals, reptiles, fish, amphibians, insects and spiders -at least all of those that are not extinct like the poor pussy above.

Mammals -these are, of course, our lovely furry cousins. Other than pets, cows seem to be the most obvious of this classification, but the cows in Hong Kong must be amongst the smallest, cuddliest and most docile in the world. When walking elsewhere through a field of Friesians it has often felt prudent to have the gate in mind -they've been known to take sudden bovine umbridge with walker, dog and even the farmer: being trampled by half-ton Bessies, Daisies and Buttercups might really mess up your day!

These bovine beasts have bigger cousins on Lantau and Yuen Long -bubalus bubalus the Water Buffalo. Having been used well by farmers in these here parts for generations, their spectacularly impressive horns demonstrate a serious-and-slow attitude to life. You're unlikely to get on the wrong side of these beasts unless you stupidly tease them -they're too busy wallowing in the mud that protects them from biting insects.

In addition, the other mammalian potentials for most dangerous beasts are wild boar, porcupines, foxes and macaques. I've written about charging boars elsewhere, but they are mostly harmless unless piglets are around. And if they charge it's likely you'll be up a tree before you know it -that self-preservational instinct is a wonderful thing! The Memsahib was once doing the late-night taxi run with the girls in the back and one massive boar charged the Mini denting the driver's door. The massive porcine somersaulted madly in the air and furiously ran off into the dark. It's unlikely he was attacking: boar are impatient pedestrians and are a bit sharpish when crossing roads - they don't even wait for the green man/pig/boar...

Lovely waddly porcupines' musky pointy spines are their most obvious rattly feature and you often find them discarded on tracks through the undergrowth. They only appear late at night (unless there's a problem) and silently pass through villages. It's not uncommon to see the village dogs sporting a mass of protruding spines on their faces and looking a bit sorry for themselves, so they're definitely more dangerous to unthinking woofy canines than to us.

Rhesus macaques are sometimes a bit skittish and will only approach us if we are obviously carrying easily-obtainable food. They can obviously identify lady humans carrying shopping, but, apart from our friend Sean, I've yet to hear of simians going for anyone of the male persuasion. When we lived in Tai Wai one dominant bushy male with extra-huge cahones came swaggering in from the balcony, took one dismissive look at me and proceeded to leisurely scan the kitchen for some free human food. Despite my defiantly picking up some sort of kitchen appliance and menacing waving it at him he was fearless against my angriest of protestations and simply swung around to nonchalantly return to his jungle -the cheek! The cahones! In view of his sizable incisors, I'm not sure I'd want to repeat Man vs Monkey any time soon, but he was clearly not that life-threatening.

Although they are suppose to exist here, I've yet to see a fox (apart from the dead kind draped on stupid women).

And I think it's fair to say that marine mammals (otters, crab-eating mongooses and pink dolphins) also pose no threat.

Reptiles a-plenty fill Hong Kong's wild places. Some of the turtles, such as the Mud Turtle, are aggressive and might give you a really painful nip or worse, but you really have to be stupid to put your fingers or toes anywhere near one. It's also unlikely you'll ever bump into one of these protected beasts in the countryside -indeed, you're more likely to encounter it, or one of it's poor cousins like the endangered Box Turtle, in a 'healthy' soup somewhere dodgy. 

Snakes are the most likely wild reptile with which you might have difficulty (and only if you live near their food source). Let's think about this for a minute; snakes hunt fairly basic animals such as frogs, invertebrates, birds and small mammals. It's likely only the latter (rats and mice) will be near your home because they are taking advantage of your badly-discarded food waste. In other words, no matter how much you might not want to meet a serpent, you are the most likely indirect cause of your own snakey-humany interaction. They really don't like humans, they cannot hear us, may not be able to see us coming unless they sense our elephantine footsteps and generally give us good warning of their location by hissing in defence (here's a lovely BBC page explaining it further). In general, they have a lot more to fear from us than the other way round. There are quite a few venomous snakes in Hong Kong, but it'll be a rare sight when a snake crosses your paths (I see but a handful each year) and if you do spot something Slitherin-like skeeting across your toes then it's likely you'll only know about it when the last of it's back end has disappeared off into a hidey-hole.

Cobras make a habit of appearing near houses, but they're looking for vermin. In effect, they're clearing up disease-spreading animals for us and should be welcomed. Unfortunately, cobras are also very defensive and will attack anything -I saw one vigorously attacking a dustpan (see above)! In our time living in the country park we have lost three cats, cobras being the most likely cause. Pythons only appear to be really dangerous to dogs caught off-guard: a woman in the nearby village lost her dog to a python and in a later case the python was beaten off.

Sometimes snakes make their way into the house. If they're really small we put a towel over them, quickly pick them up and take them back outside. If they're a bit too big for that, then we call the police and then Dave the Snake. Dave, who lives nearby in the village of Pak Sha O, humanely captures and releases snakes back into the wild. If the police are called, it's likely they'll dispose of snakes in two ways -stamping them to death or putting them in a bag to be added at a later date to the Chief Inspector's soup. A recently caught Hong Kong python (an internationally protected species, ya know) that was due to be released somewhere safe in China ended up dead -quelle suprise!

Many sea snakes are poisonous, but are actually quite sweetly inquisitive with divers they meet. They will only strike if really threatened: why would anyone want to hurt them?

You can't discuss dangerous fish without mentioning sharks. Hong Kong has a rich shared history with these piscine predators. Leaving aside ethical issues connected with their slow death after de-finning, human-shark interaction was perhaps at it's height during the Cultural Revolution. Many poor refugees attempted the swim to freedom from the guarded coasts of Red Guangdong to the freedom of nearby Hong Kong's Ping Chau island only to be unfortunately picked off by these opportunist hunters. More recently, sharks headed to Hong Kong waters for a quick human snack, but in June 1995 three swimmers were taken and this led to the government setting up shark nets at 32 gazetted beaches. Even the stupendous Vic Hislop was employed to remove the territory's waters of Great Whites. Newspaper headlines every now and then warn of sharks being spotted from the air, but they're usually small specimens that are completely lost: they don't stay long in Hong Kong's fish-less waters. The most common species are Black-tip Reef, Sandbar and Tiger Sharks and occasionally the odd Great White will turn up. Unfortunately, the last large shark spotted in Hong Kong waters was a juvenile Whale Shark netted by some fisherman in Aberdeen. Not willing to part with their catch for less than $20,000 or so, the poor creature languished in their care until a well-intentioned local hawker paid for its release. It quickly died thereafter -which is, one ponders, what might be a suitable resolution for this sort of behaviour.

Of all amphibians only the Asian Common Toad has poison glands on the side of the head and I fail to see how you could possibly come into serious contact with what's inside them.

There are actually very few insects, invertebrates and spiders that are dangerous and the ones that are may not be immediately obvious. Centipedes are aggressive buggers that can give you a nasty nip with their toxic fangs and if things went really badly you might have to take a trip to hospital. Some have really long legs (illustrated), but these look more scary than they really are. Millipedes may not bite, but their bodies exude acidic toxins so keep well away from them.

Everyone thinks spiders here in Hong Kong must be poisonous: after all, spiders use venom, have big fangs, jump on their innocent prey caught in their foul webs and then suck the life out of them -eww! Well, we have three quite large species with innocuous-sounding names which folks may happen across from time to time and I don't think they're the hideous monsters of popular imagination (unless you're a fly). Indeed, they do a lot of good for us.

1. The Large House/Huntsman Spider is the one you find scuttling across your walls late at night and they hunt cockroaches and may take geckos. They will bite, but wouldn't you if someone was chasing you with a broom? My advice is to leave them be: once they've got rid of your roaches they'll either move on or starve.

2. The Large Woodland/Golden Orb Spider may have a legspan of up to 15cm and will occupy a lovely big orb web somewhere where light and shade are mixed. It's an occupational hazard to walk into a web if you go traipsing through the woods anywhere in Hong Kong. Look scary, but I love 'em! Here are more pics.

3. The Banded or Yellow Argiope Spider is also a biggy and probably does not cohabit well with the Orb. They make amazingly fine orb webs with a large patterned silk X or zig-zag. Beautiful to see.

I could have included things such as cockroaches and rats for their contaminating qualities, but we seem to be able to cope with these fairly well these days. I've also evaded discussing stinging jellyfish and other marine animals because they are usually out of our way in deep sea waters. Perhaps the second most dangerous animals in all Hong Kong could be mosquitoes. They continue to spread very serious diseases that kill more people than all the other animals combined (Malaria, Dengue Fever, Japanese Encephalitis) and seem impossible to eradicate.

Of all the animals in Hong Kong, there is really only one contender for the 'most dangerous in all Hong Kong' accolade. This fearsome animal is so unbelievably dangerous that nearly all other animals fear it and run away as fast as they can for this animal will kill or consume pretty much anything it comes across, either by design or accident. This animal also kills it's own kind. This animal is, of course, humankind.

Flowers in the Park

It's a lovely warm Saturday morning , the twirds are bittering and the shun is sining so the obvious thing to do is get out there and exercise those legs.  Thus a little doggy-led tramp took us from home to the gate at Pak Tam Chung. Of course, it didn't start off like that. Half-way there (at the bus stop at Pak Tam Au) the Memsahib turns to me and complains that we've (meaning "I've") already changed the destination of the walk three times. Hmmm: she might just have a point...

Getting over the hump

Between the paradise that is Ko Tong Ha Yeung and the-rest-of-the-world where ye mortals dwell is the big ole hill crowned with municipal toilets that perhaps has the Best Views in all of Hong Kong (down Long Harbour to Tap Mun Island and China in the distance). This is the point where the Maclehose Trail #2 ends and #3 begins the awful stepped ascent of Ngai She Shek Shan which ends at the peak of Ngam Tau Shan. Most people get off the bus and either turn left or right here, but if you go a little way down the hill back in the direction of Sai Kung a hidden gem of a path opens up on your left. One of my favourite walks, this shady track will take you on its winding course back to Pak Tam Chung away from the road and clear from all man-made noise. 

Did you know there were over 200 varieties of bauhinia?

Descending the rocky path some beautiful vistas open up: deep green valleys full of nothing but cicada-filled trees, darkened bamboo glades that conceal babbling brooks, broken-limbed red pines strutting out onto exposed ridges. It caused the Memsahib to remark,

"This could be anywhere: Spain -anywhere in the world!"

Observe This!

On the right can be spotted the white round dome of the Lady Maclehose Holiday Village iObservatory (did you even know there was one?). On a good night I reckon that from here I could get a good view of the rings around Uranus.

Just before Pak Tam Chung is the river crossing to Sheung Yiu (folk museum) village. It's a great little walk which begins and ends besides a café-cum-dai pai dong right next to the Wong Fuk Hing bridge where none other than Bruce Lee fought in Unicorn Fist!

This is one of my favourite spots in the world. The old guy that runs this place doesn't speak a word of English, but makes sure the beers are served cold, in frozen metal mugs and that as you sit taking in an evening by the river the Tsingtao is left with you in ice containers -blocks of ice with an aperture for the chilly bottle. Bliss!

Jumping Squid

Finally, at Pak Tam Chung we walk through the barrier and get a green taxi home. A hot slathery Squiddly decides now's the time to sit with the slightly nervous taxi driver and attempts a clamber over the front seat leaving dirty paw prints everywhere. Good doggy!

A nice little saunter with Squid -up to the Fire Lookout to admire the view

A paid Monday off and weather is fine! Although it undoubtedly applies to all trades and professions, this is surely every teacher's prayer beneficently answered. Mark Twain said that it's good to be noble, and that to teach others how to be good is nobler (and less trouble), but even the best of us need a rest from doing so much good.

The Fire Lookout is a great vantage point for paid HK employees to observe the lovely views (and report any cheeky wisps of grey smoke appearing on thum thar hills). As far as I am aware, there have not been any keen government-sponsored eyes up there in the last 12 months. As a self-righteous, do-gooding citizen, I thought it proper I do my bit. Herewith is my volunteered panoramic report:

The Sai Kung East Country Park is typical example of the mixed up Hong Kong extinct volcano/flooded valley landscape. The global melt in the last period of glaciation lead to a rise in sea-levels. The result is the wonderful breathtaking scenery we observe throughout the region. Looking east, one sees Long Harbour (Tai Tan Hoi 大灘海), which ends at Wong Shek pier (黃石碼頭) and Chek Keng (赤徑). Not one flicker of flame.

North one sees the magnificent Mt Hallowes (Tam Chai Shan 柦柴山) brooding away over the bay at Hoi Ha (海下灣) and the old, sleepy, picturesque village of Pak Sha O (白沙澳). Not even a single puff of smoke in sight. Good -job well done!

I never walk alone in the Park. Most of the time I have a Squiddly with me. It used to be nice to have sweet Batty, but she passed away earlier this year. Big ole Buster used to enjoy scouting over the hills, down hidden paths and into the cool of the rivers, but he's now so old and grumpy he just about makes it to the end of the road to dip his paws in the sea. His idea of a good time is finding a three-day old fish, eyes bulging, decaying on the beach!

Squid is always up for a long walk -the longer the better. She's surely grateful to be out and about, but looks hopefully up at me if the path forks and there's a longer or less-trodden way: truly a girl after my own heart.

The Country Park is such a good place to walk -established and well-trodden paths that go to familiar places and many barely-discernible tracks that take you to who-knows-where. From time-to-time I've met many of the other inhabitants of the park: spiders and snakes, skinks and lizards, porcupines and boars and the ubiquitous bovines that have the place to themselves and have nothing to fear but inattentive drivers. There are incalculable varieties of birds, butterflies, dragonflies, moths, ants and all manner of other insects. The plant life is also incredibly varied at all times of the year, including some great looking mushrooms that emerge from the ground in the most amazing places. Brenda is sick of me restating that each time I go for a walk I see something new. But I can't help it -I'm in awe!

I'm amazed that people get lost in the park -head downhill and you find water, head uphill and you find a view (and a direction). Weather is not really a problem -if it's sunny and hot then get to some shade, if it's rainy or foggy then don't go out walking! Of course, some people never get home.

Unfortunately, in the neighbouring empty house (once the quiet abode of The Shannons) is stirring the sound of working men. They are fixing the parquet flooring and throwing out the washing machines. They've got the asphalt burner on and the place is full of smoke. I therefore amend my report: Send the Fire Brigade to 30, Ko Tong Ha Yeung.  

Right -back to work!

Poor old Buster -he's feeling the cold...

It's been a funny old week:

Rushing like mad at work to get work finished before the Chinese New Year holiday, Brenda's birthday on Thursday, a poorly Buster at home, ooh and I got nabbed by the fuzz.

I don't like talking much about work. Suffice it to say, and I feel I say this each year, I'm busier now than I was ten years ago -even one year ago. Perhaps the job is busier and there's more to do. Perhaps I'm finding more work to do. Perhaps I should shut up.

*

Brenda had a birth day on Thursday (I swear she has one every year...) so I thought we should 'ave it large! We've been before to Spoon at the Intercontinental Hotel down by the harbour in Tsim Sha Tsui. Sipping cocktails in the Lobby Lounge has always a bit of a luxurious tradition and is de rigeur whenever we visit. There's something about the view, the expanse of glass, the Star Pisces gliding past. I can't remember the names of the drinks except they were both Dragon-'somethings'. This time our cocktails were served on little multi-coloured illuminated drinks mats which, to my mind, were too bright (if not garish) and served to gild an already over-priced lilly.

I recall on our last visit being very impressed with Spoon's ambience, presentation and prices. This time was equally memorable. Taking our table by the window overlooking the harbour all the staff knew my name (probably more to do with the concierge aggressively barking gwailo-type noises into their earpieces than a reflection of my esteemed reputation as international bon viveur, grandgousier and Hong Kong's all-round good bloke).

Full silver service is nicely done in Hong Kong and, depending on where you are and that calibre of staff, makes you feel that all your needs are met -well, most. At the now-departed and demolished Ritz-Carlton's Toscana accompanying any movement around the table the staff would say "whisprs", which I presumed to be "Excuse me, please". A good restaurant should train and then hold onto their staff. Spoon has a good friendly Captain (rather adept at crumbing down) and quite a good Sommelier. I wasn't feeling that lavish, leaving the $20,000 Bordeauxs and Burgundies for when I win the Mark 6, and, because we were consuming seafood, settled on an lovely Galician Albariño that perfectly suited the dishes -young, green and fresh. 

If I was to do a 'Winner's Dinners', my biggest complaint is that the portions were too small -even for a top notch place. On this occasion the dishes were certainly not the inspired culinary perfections I expected. Having said that, they provided a nicely written congratulatory chocolatey message to Brenda on her Rum Baba: It's not often you can say that!

Baked Alaska should certainly be sampled if it's on the menu. Although mine was nicely flamed, it was otherwise unremarkable.

*

Buster is unwell. He has many things wrong with him that we know about and probably a few more that are hidden. He has an enlarged heart, probably as a result of his earlier, more desperate times. As previously mentioned, he had heartworm and I'm sure that gave him cardiac problems. He had a huge puss-filled lump on his side removed not so long ago and the hole never quite healed and had screwworm larvae in it. He has arthritic hip joints and cancer in his front left humerus which will probably finish him off. I suppose he's an old boy and old boys get ill. We should have called him 'Lucky".

I took him out for a short walk yesterday which he seemed to enjoy. Navigating the steps down the road outside the house is a problem. He's weakening each week and I know it won't be long before he can't get down them at all -and that will be the moment we're both dreading.

 I've bought him some extra-strength doggy food to try to arrest his weight loss from cachexia, so he's having Hill's Prescription tinned food which costs $38 a shot (2 per day!). I bought enough for a while, so that was another $888.

So here are some pictures of Himself sat by the water -it was a far as his old bones could take him. He stared at the river for quite a time lost in his thoughts. I wondered if he was recollecting, or savouring the view, or just bored. I doubt it was the latter, because he just moves on when that happens, but there was something going on in his mind. His illness has stirred quiet waters.

*

I got done for speeding down the Hiram's Highway. I can't remember how many times I've been done there. This time I lost another 3 points on the license, plus I didn't have my license with me so on top of the $450 the smiling PC took great pleasure in awarding me a $320 fine.

So, all-in-all, it's been a bit of a funny old week.

And here he is: Ko Tong's most happy and cheerful dog, Buster.

Buster is a small(-ish) English Mastiff http://www.dogbreedinfo.com/mastiff.htm and a foundling. Regarding his origin, there is little to go on. In 2004 a ghostly apparition of a big dog appeared in and around the village of Ko Tong Ha Yeung. Folks would see him as he bolted back into the undergrowth away from any staring eyes. Clearly a pitiable sight and in need of immediate care, some villagers would leave food out for him. Others would hear him padding around the houses in the dead of night and hear him lapping up water. His injuries were beginning to get the better of him and his emaciated form was slowing. He seemed desperately in need of food and veterinary care, but would not let anyone near him.

Bill and Jean Campbell, who lived in our house in Ko Tong Ha Yeung before us, eventually managed to win his trust. They left food out for him, each day closer to the house. It took weeks, but eventually he got close enough for them to reach out and one day he simply 'let himself be taken'. It was only then that the true extent of his condition was assessed.

He had two large wounds, exacerbated through screw worm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Screw_worm, one under his tail and the other on his leg. He also had a severe case of heartworm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heartworm which had also weakened him. The Campbells looked after him outside on the ground floor balcony and he seemed to settle. He slowly began to gain weight and the trips to the vets courtesy of other villagers Karen and Craig Ramsay meant he could be treated. Buster did not enjoy this trip and urinated in the back of their jeep, the pungeant fragrance of which never quite departed.

The village organised a fund raiser for Buster's veterinary bills and they began looking for an owner (the Campbells were shortly to depart for Australia). Karen Ramsay worked with Brenda at the Sarah Roe School and knew that in England we had an Irish Wolfhound. Brenda asked me and I hesitated, knowing that a viewing could only mean a 'yes'.

Eventually I went to the fundraising barbeque. This was Ko Tong Ha Yeung village at its' best: kids and dogs running everywhere, lots of beer and friendly faces. I gingerly approached this large, mournful beast behind the bars of the balcony. I don't know who was more afraid -he or I! I delicately patted him on his head and retreated my un-savaged arm. I let myself believe he was not in the least bit scary or threatening. He needed someone with experience of a big dog. How many people in Hong Kong fit the bill? How long would it take before anyone else came along? It had to be us. It had to be.

Brenda and I later chatted to the Campbells: If we took him we would have to take their other dog, the ginger villagey Batty. She was not to go until they finally left in May, so we could take on Buster for a few weeks to see how it got on. What was happening to the house in Ko Tong Ha Yeung? Would we like to rent it -of course! Thus, from having nought but a cat, we suddenly added two dogs and a dwelling.

Buster moved back to Sha Tin Heights with us. He was terrified of everything, but particularly scared of newspapers, sticks, umbrellas, flashlights, cameras, Chinese voices (but not Philippinas!?) and it has taken years for him to relax in the presence of these. Even now, he cannot abide flashing lights or lightning. He was also desperate for water -any water at all- and would drink as much as he could as quickly as he could as many times as he could on walks.

You may surmise his background from those points. Why did he fear those things? Why was he so desperate for water? Why would anyone abandon him in the country park? Someone knows those answers. I hope I never meet them.

  

Mini Kitty (Miss Kitty)

Here are some pics of Mini Kitty -also departed this last year. A real tigress who perhaps hunted once too many-a time.