Wootube!

Dolittle's got nothin' on me

Raves ‘n’ Rants ‘n’ and an RIP

By 60 Comments

RAVE!

The cat came back.  Yesterday we had an adventure where Dexter saw her on the lawn through the window, Wootie tried to corral her under the old trailer on the property, we were thisclose to catching her and then she eluded me and scooted back under the house.

GRRRR.  So I gathered up as much old wood as I could and blocked up as much of the foundation as I could.  You must understand that my one-level house is built on a foundation of boulders (it was either the original 60 year old homestead shack, or a chicken coop, depending on who you talk to), so it’s not level to the ground.  I left one peep hole, which was blocked by the live trap.  At the end of the trap I swapped out the tuna for a can of stinky wet cat food.  My cats eat raw, so wet food is a big bowl of candy to them!

About midnight last night, just before bed, I peeked my head out the door and saw that the bowl was empty.  So I whipped the towel off the trap and VIOLA!  One squashed up and pissed off Donut!

Angry Donut is … well, angry!
ad4

RANT.

All her claws are gone.  WTF?  Where’d they go?  Except for like two claws on one of her back feet, they’re all missing. I don’t know if she ripped them off trying to get out of the trap, or if she tangled with something and left a whole bunch of claws in its face, but they’re all gone.  Her feet were a tiny bit bloody, but not as much as one would suppose.  I think I’ll bring her with me today when we head out to the vet clinic to ….

RAVE!

…remove Tweed’s cast!  We have survived one week of crate rest.

Praise Jebus.
walk-1-28

RANT

Two more weeks to go.  It’s pathetic, really … yesterday evening I was throwing a toy for Dexter and turned around to see Tweeders WEAVING on 3 legs – hopping through the poles whilst shooting me these sad looks to let me know just how desperate to play he is.

RAVE!

Yesterday I put the baby bunnies back in their nest, which I reconstructed to the best of my ability.  I’m not a Lagomorpha Architect, so I did what I could.  I then barricaded the nest with some wire, some old barbeque grates and some other wood and brick structures designed to be as WooTWoo proof as possible.
fld-1-26

I also have a clear view of the nesting site from my kitchen window.  So this morning when I let all the dogs out to pee while I started coffee, I kept a close eye on the nest site.  But …

RANT

… Wootie ate half the sum total of the baby bunnies, right under my nose!  He never crossed the agility yard to do it, which means he knew I was watching, so he went around the house the other way, crossed the ditch, sneaked through the neighbour’s field and crawled in through the grass on his belly from the treeline.  This is VERY VERY SNEAKY and he is a VERY VERY BAD DOG!!!!  I only know he did it because when I called the dogs to come back, he was nowhere to be found … eventually I found him behind my van hurriedly gulping down as many baby bunnies as he could as fast as he can.  HE GOT NO BREAKFAST!  As far as I am concerned, he already *had* breakfast.  Harumph.  I checked the nest and there are 4 left, so I think I will take them out to the Wildlife Refuge today.  I know they stand very little chance of making it, but they stand even less of a chance here on my property.

AN RIP

Sadly, yesterday afternoon, the enigmatic and miraculous old dog known as Sporticus departed this mortal coil :(  I’m told he ate his breakfast (another miracle), had a wander outside in the yard, came back in the house, lay down on the infamous Big Fluffy Pillow and died.  He was over 18 years old, suffered from heart failure and terrible arthritis, but well into his 17th year he tried to take down the wolf hybrid that lived up the street.  Sporty was a dog like no other, and his loss is keenly felt by us all.
doesnt get cuter

Sporty leaves behind his grieving family of Sonja, Christopher and Nicholas, and his brothers Max and Eric.  Without them, and their generous arsenal of medications and home cooking, Sport would not have made it as far as he did.  It’s a very sad day, for Sport was an icon for Border Collie Rescue – a testament to the power of love, and to the ability of an old unwanted dog to make people love him.  Sporty was nothing if not a manipulator.

Please join me in offering condolences to his family, to whom I will be forever grateful for the wonderful home they offered Sporty up until his last.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Sorry to hear of Sport’s death. You definitely made many fans for him with your blog posts about him! He seemed to be a tough old bird.

    Glad Donut is back and good luck with the bunnies!

  2. Happy Runnings up there, Sporticus, brave boy! A big hug to his family who cared for him so well.

  3. Sorry about Sporticus and half the baby bunnies (of course that’s exactly why rabbits bred like they do).

    Glad Donut is back. I’ve heard that it’s not uncommon for cats that have been struck by cars to stick their claws out as a reflex and then have them torn off by the road surface.

  4. Godspeed, Sporticus. You had many fans.

    Thanks to Sonja, Christopher and Nicholas for taking such good care of the old boy, and to the Food Lady and Rescue for taking him in in the first place.

  5. I don’t think she was hit by a car … I don’t think she even left the yard! Moreover, I live on a dead end road, at the end of it, so pretty much the only person driving down the road is me, and I didn’t hit her ;-)

  7. Awww. WhenI saw RIP in the title I knew it was old Sporty. Bye old guy, we enjoyed having you here.
    And what’s up with bad BAD Woo, eating baby bunnies. sigh. For shame Wootie!
    One last thing, from looking at Donut’s eyes in that pic, Food Lady should not go to sleep for a while. A long while. Or she will be joining Sport.

  8. Rest well Sport. The old dogs are so special.

    Glad Donut is home and I am sure Woo enjoyed his fresh raw meal. Good luck to the remaining bunnies going to rehab!

  10. Sorry to hear about Sport. Your patience and kindness probably made a big difference in his later life. I’m glad you were able to capture his expressions in your excellent photography. I’m sorry about the bunnies too, but knowing bunnies, they will make more. I’m glad Donut is back.

  11. Glad Donut is home, too bad about her claws. She put up a fight with *something* to rip them all out. Hope she isn’t in too much pain! Just look at those pupils. Wooo Food Lady she is MAD at you! Yay Tweed! Get well soon buddy! Wootie… BAD DOG!! Poor wabbits. RIP Sporty, I know you’ll be sorely missed.

  12. Very glad to hear that Donut is back home and in mostly one piece (sans a few claws). I’m not really a cat afficionado, but even my cold, black heart was worried about her.

    WOO IS BAD. HE NEEDS A SPANKING. THAT IS TERRIBLE. My two beasts killed a baby rabbit last year about the same size. I will never forget the pre-dawn high-pitched squeak and twitching of a baby bunny dying – or the look on my neighbor’s face when I carried it out by its tiny little paw to the trash can on the curb (What? It was trash day). I swear they still look at me like I’m Glenn Close.

    Poor Sport. Sounds like he had a grand last few minutes, though. You couldn’t ask to go out a better way if you’re a dog OR a human.

  13. Bless old Sport, he had a great life there at the end.

    Don’t be too mad at Woo, it’s just the old circle of life. If every baby bunny made it you’d be over run! He’s just doing his part ;)

  16. RIP Sport. Your family loved you til the end and they will miss you, as we all will.
    So gald Donut is home, inside and safe. Ouch…for the missing claws, hope he will heal quickly.
    Woo….NOT nice to eat the little buns…just think of the fun you could of had chasing them when they got older.
    Tweed….Yea for the cast coming off. Don’t rush the recovery, we want you healthy for a long time to come.

  17. Sending thoughts and prayers to Sports family. May they find comfort in this difficult time.

  18. RIP, Sporticus! And hugs to your wonderful family.

    Aw, Nutz! There are lessons to be learned here, but you will probably learn the wrong ones, you little diva!

    Tweed, you sure know how to lay the guilt trip on your FL, when all she’s trying to do is help you! You incorrigible pouter!

    Well, the way bunnies multiply, maybe you just found a new, affordable raw food source for your kiddos… Although, there is a bit too much “fiber” in a diet of whole baby bunnies…

  19. My cat was out all night one night last week and she tangled with something. Her collar was gone and she lost 2 claws. She also had quite a few bites in her head and neck area. The neighbor found her collar out on the end of his dock. She ended up needing antibiotics for the claws. One of them got infected. I am glad you are taking her to the vet.

  21. Sporticus, you were a brave and good sport, rest in peace now.

    Woo, no more baby bunnies for you!

    Welcome home, Donut!

  22. Well, the 3 remaining bunnies got dropped off at the wildlife rescue today (3 because TWooie ate one more before we left the house. I told you, he can dig really fast!) It doesn’t look like the mamabunny came back to feed them as they were skinnier and sorta dehydrated looking. Their eyes were just starting to open today.

    Tweed had his cast removed, and his foot sure looks awful! Now it’s a week of crate rest which will be trying for us both.

    Lastly, Donut got a shot of antibiotic in case of infection. The vet says it looks like something chased her and she climbed something in a panic that ripped off her claws. But they’ll grow back!

    Now we are going to go for a nice walk on the property (minus Tweed) and try to forget about the drama of the last several days. Whew!!

  23. Run free at the bridge Mr. Sport. I am so sorry to hear of your passing. I hope there is lots of pizza waiting for you.

    In defence of Woo’s baby bunny carnage… Maybe he was valiantly protecting the future of your Earth day garden???

    Poor Miss No Nails Nutz. I am glad to hear she is home.

  24. Thanks to Sonja, Christopher and Nicholas, Max and Eric for making Sporty’s last days very good. We will miss hearing Sport stories.

    I hope Donut learned her lesson.

  25. Sorry about Sporticus. It doesn’t matter what the first part of his life was like. He died knowing that his people loved him, and that is what he takes over the bridge. My condolences to you and his family.

    Glad to see Donut is safe. There is nothing trickier then trying to trap a cat, even if it yours. I have worked doing TNR for feral cats for a very long time and they never fail to impress me with their ability to avoid capture. My Border Collies aren’t that smart. A friend of mine actually bought me an African Blow Dart Gun as a joke to tranquilize a stubborn girl. I didn’t use it but the thought did cross my mind.

  26. Godspeed, Sportacus! …I wish all dogs could have such a peaceful end on a Big Pillow with a wonderful family.

  27. We will miss Sporticus , his funny old ways and your fabulous stories about him. He really was a splendid elder statesman of the BC community. Send our love and best wishes to his family.

    Great news on the Donut front (even if she has been a little b*gger). Hope those claws grow back soon.

    Oh Wootie and Twooie, I bet TFL was considering “booting your bad asses, real hard,” however, I guess you were only doing what comes naturally to dogs.

    My colleague at work texted me on Friday, to advise that her next door neighbour’s dog, had snuck out and killed the pet rabbit of her next door neighbour on the other side . Oh Shoot. Where livestock is concerned, “Good fences, make good neighbours!”

    We expect the troublesome two did their respective deeds quickly and guess they’re not getting supper. If Donut had been an outdoor cat, she would have no doubt have played with and tortured her prey first, then left you some “Rabbit Trousers” on the porch as a gift.

    Get well soon Tweed and hope the next few days are a bit less eventful for TFL!

    PS Love your new rescue pup and hope you find a forever family for her soon.

  28. Vaya con Dios, Sporticus! I am disappointed that you decided not to live forever, but I salute you for your determination, tenacity, and manipulativeness. I have an elderly rescued Sheltie who has those qualities, plus a soupcon of passive-aggressiveness. :)

    Donut, please learn from your venture into the great outdoors and reconcile yourself to being a indoor cat. You’re lucky you didn’t catch the attention of a hawk. !!

  29. Sport, you are running free with no pain at all just like when you were a pup. Your family and extended family were so good to you. Hang in there, Tweed, just a few more weeks. Sorry about the bunnies…hopefully the three remaining make it. Glad you are home Donut..I bet you could tell us a great story about your adventures while you were gone (after you get over being so mad).

  31. I’m glad Donut is back safe and sound. But, so sad to hear of Sport’s passing. Rest in peace, buddy!

  32. The picture of Sporticus brought tears to my eyes. I am so glad he had the happy old age and peaceful death he deserved. Condolences to you and to his family and blessings to all of you for the life you gave him.

    Woo eating the baby rabbits is nature at work but – “How could you, Woo?”

    Maybe if Donut did lose her nails because she was so scared of something that will put an end to her wanting to be outside. But, wait, she’s a cat!

    Poor Tweed – “Look, Food Lady, I can still weave” – but one week down and only two to go. Hang tough!

  33. Sport-what a wonderful last couple of years you had, your family obviously loved you very much, bless their hearts. I enjoyed the many pictures and stories while you were around.

    Tweed-take it easy only 2 more weeks.

    Donut-stay in the house where it’s much safer, no worrying the Food Lady like that.

    (Baby bunnies, taste like chicken.)

  34. RIP Sport. My sympathies to his family. Glad Donut had a happy ending but he does look pissed. Woo was very naughty to eat those poor little bunnies. And then when I read TWoo did too! GAHHH!! I found bunnies in my yard a few weeks ago too but thankfully they made a clean getaway before my dogs found them!

  36. Rest in peace, handsome Sport. You were an inspiration – even to those of us that already knew that old dogs deserved love too. Thanks for all you brought to the world through your amazing, feisty spirit. And thanks to everyone that gave Sport a chance to live his last days in comfort and surrounded by a loving family.

  37. RIP, Sport. I first came to this blog when Sport was with you, FL, and you were trying to get him sorted out. I’m glad he had a great time for the last years. His last morning sounds like what I would choose for people I love.
    Woo and Twoo and little baby bunnies – it’s that circle of life process.
    Donut – stay inside you beastie, before some hawk scoops you up and DUNKS you into her nest to feed HER baby birds!
    Dex and Piper – do try to stay out of trouble for a day or two, and let Tweed recuperate in his crate. The FL doesn’t need any more drama or trauma from any canine, feline, or other mammal for a few days, at least.

  38. RIP Sporty, you will be so dearly missed. You were such an warrior. Miraculous or not. Many.Many. thanks to Sporty’s family for walking with him all the way till the end. The Magic is awesome but I guess it could only get him so far, and far it did! He IS freak’in 18! Rest well, Sporticus. FL said it right. You were a dog like no other. Everyone who has met you, either online or offline, had a special spot for you in their heart, I’m sure. You were such a charmer. Oh well, maybe not the wolf hybrid up the road…

    Congrats on Nutz being home and the family reunites again! ;)

  39. Hope Sporty is happy, free from pain and appreciating the years he got with his loving family.

    Your life is never dull, is it Food Lady?!

  40. I think you should frame that photo of Sporticus. It’s absolutely beautiful. May all dogs know as much love as Sport did in his last days. Now, he can run free and chase anything he wants and eat any food he wants over the bridge. Thank you FL, and his family, for letting us meet such a wonderful dog.

  41. May you run fast, run far and run free Sport! Condolences to his family who will miss him.
    :op

  42. Wishing peaceful rest to Sport and comfort to his family. That was one well-loved dog.

  44. Sporty, you were the best. We should all live as full a life.

    I’ll never forget the day Sport dove through the stairs in an attempt to see if he could make Food Lady’s heart stop. And there will never be another dog who looks that handsome even, as a decrepit oldster.

    P.S. I’m very glad to hear that Donut is indoors again. I lost my found kelpie in the mountains over the weekend and had to go to extreme lengths to refind him, so I can totally relate to your ranting and raving both.

  45. Godspeed Sporty- the only BC I’ve ever actually coveted. :P (I figure an old decrepit one is about my speed. :P)

    And Woo and Twoo… well… they’re saving you money on organically raised raw food? (I’d feel sorry for the bunnies but I’m dealing with their southern brethren in my garden and do not have any sympathy, really. I will trade you KayleepointynosedLassiewannabe (who refuses to even CHASE the bunnies because OMG MOM THEY ARE BABIES YOU DON’T CHASE BABIES) for Twoo if he’ll promise to eat them. (He is adorable and tricolor and crankypants about other dogs, which is basically my trifecta of AWWW)

  47. Thank you for all your kind wishes.

    We miss Sport very much. He died in the arms of his favorite person … Nicholas. Sport had just reentered the house after his morning “walk about”, he was standing by the back door waiting to be petted when Nick saw Sport “faint”. We all rushed over to him and carried him over to The Big Fluffy Pillow where we let him pass “gentle into that good night” …

    Later this week we are going to spread his ashes by the river … his most favorite place.

    Sonja, Christopher, Nicholas
    Max & Eric

  48. When my day comes, I hope it’s like Sport’s last day: a good breakfast, a breath of fresh outdoor air, followed by an eternal nap on a Big Pillow. What a lovely life his family (and his extended rescue family) gave him.

    As for Woo and the Bunnies…Hate to say it, but be prepared that this nest is probably not the last nest of bun-buns the Woo-Twoo Gang will decimate. My experience is that the Mama Bunnies don’t ever really seem to learn that it’s not wise to nest the babies in an area frequented by dogs. My 13 yo Sparky caught her first full grown rabbit last year…cheered on by Opie and Nicky. I don’t mind their attempts to reduce the rabbit population around our property, but good lord I’d rather not see her chowing down like I did. Ick.

  49. We are all sadden at SOTRBC. I have followed Sporticus since the very beginning. My Old Girl, Lady wants Spoticus’ family to know how grateful she is for the Love they gave him and she says “OLD DOGS RULE”
    I also want my gratitude and condolences to be passed on to his family and thank you, FoodLady for all you did.

  50. My condolences to Sporticus’ family–I loved to read about him and the trials he gave Food Lady. I’m glad he died peacefully with his family (and for her sake, not in Food Lady’s care!)

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *