Dusty (Baby Stardust) 2.2.2007 – 11.4.2019
Our darling girl left us on 11 April. She had been on medication for back problems for six months, following extensive exploratory procedures involving an MRI, CAT scan and so on, all of which she endured stoically, as was her way. The medication worked well and over the last six months she still enjoyed her life to the full, stealing shoes, chasing squirrels, becoming ridiculously excited every time we so much as looked at her lead. However six weeks ago she deteriorated very rapidly, refusing to eat, and lost the use of her back legs. Our wonderful vet came to us so that she was at home, with us, where she belonged, as we said goodbye and she slipped away.
Dusty adopted us – we had no say in the matter. She came bursting out of the kennels when we came to WGW looking to walk a greyhound to take home, our first dog, and during the walk kept checking to see we were all there. Something she continued to do for the wonderful time that she was with us. We brought her home for a sleepover, and that was it. We were hooked.
Dusty was the most beautiful, elegant, the sweetest, and the most loving, girl with the softest ears and a beautiful slightly skew-wiff shrew-like nose, who, during our first few days with her, managed to demolish part of a bowl of popcorn (sweet, obviously) and catch a rabbit to bring as a gift to us. She was so proud of herself, adopting a “look what I can do” face. The rabbit was terrified (but unharmed) and was gently released into the garden whilst Dusty wasn’t looking.
Dusty loved sausages, sausage rolls, Christmas dinner (but not the vegetables!), fish and chips by the seaside, ice-cream, chasing animals she couldn’t catch and collecting shoes for her bed. And us. We had wonderful holidays in Dorset and Devon with her, where she travelled on buses, trains, coaches and trams, and where she chose to sit, regally, on the beach, watching other dogs bounding in and out of the sea. Clearly, moving water wasn’t her thing (she was above all that larking about), but still and stagnant water she loved, lying in as many such puddles and ponds as she could find when walking on the common near where we live. Even in the middle of winter. Even in her coats.
Broken-hearted is a phrase often used, but it’s true. No amount of words can do justice to her or explain what a wonderful girl she was, and how much we loved her. She shared our lives for six glorious years and brought us immeasurable joy, and is so missed. She has left a huge hole in our home and our lives, and is everywhere, even though she is gone. Hard as it is, we would not have missed the last six years for the world.
Darling Dustykins. Always loved and in our hearts. “The first cut is the deepest”.
Shona, John, Olivia and Adam Fahy
