Tragedy struck yesterday as Louisa and I were heading out to handfeed the lambs. One of the puppies - Jackson - went under the wheels of the Landcruiser and was crushed. We rushed him to the vet in Mudgee, but he didn't make it. He was bleeding from the mouth, had crushed ribs and massive internal bleeding. Louisa was driving and all the dogs were running alongside the truck, when we felt a 'bump' and heard a yowl. Jackson was bred by Daniel, using Patch the Border Collie bitch and Ravi the Kelpie we got from Col Seis. On the phone to Col about Coalition business last night, he said puppies often get killed and having 2 puppies together is dangerous because they distract each other and don't pay attention to what their elders are doing (which is how they learn to avoid falling under the wheels of farm vehicles.) Lucy was due to go to a good home, but I guess we'll be keeping her now though she's not much good with sheep at present. Daniel was devastated and so was Louisa. We had a sad night.
Strangely enough, my Mother ran over my dog Skipper while driving along the road and Louisa's Mother also ran over her dog.
These are the last shots we have of Jackson. On Dan’s lap while we burn off a pile of old tennis court poles and Bathurst Burr and dead trees, on the evening after the Gulgong Cup. Here’s a shot that’s a couple of months old of Lucy and Jackson (on the right). He was a sharp dog, with great instinct for sheep work. He wasn’t destined to reach full doghood. The vet wrapped him for us and we brought him home. Daniel, who was down at the smow whenw e called him yesterday, drove back overnight and buried his favourite dog this morning.
The shock and sorrow in our home is like we lost a member of the family - because we have.
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