The story of Jack

^{Jack was a salt-and pepper schnauzer, similar to this}

This is a true story. The name Jack is correct, but other names have been changed.

Jack was a beautiful schnauzer. His coat was salt-and-pepper while his snout had a bristly beard and long whiskers. Jack thought all his birthdays had come at once when a young couple came to the pet shop, bought him and took him home. Their house was in Sha Kok Mei, Sai Kung. But Jack’s new family were teachers. This was to have consequences.

David and Jenny occupied the top two floors of a three-storey house, a duplex. This gave Jack plenty of space to stretch his young legs, racing about, up and down the stairs. After a few weeks when David and Jenny could see that Jack knew where his home was and would always come back, they let him run around the village too. The neighbours were nice, admiring Jack’s perky ways, his love of play and inexhaustible energy. He would cutely jump around, stiff legged. Neighbours Roger and Katherine were particularly nice to Jack, giving him treats after establishing that David and Jenny did not mind. They let Jack run around their garden and didn’t even mind when he chased their cat, Bella. They knew Bella, a gorgeous cat with a many-toned coat, ginger and black with lots of white, was too smart and fast for Jack, who delighted in chasing her even though it was hopeless. Roger and Katherine had seen Bella leap to the top of a nine-foot fence and in one bound reach the safety of a ledge and air-conditioner high on the side of their house.

Life was perfect for Jack. He was so happy. Then one day disaster struck. David and Jenny, about to go on holiday, took Jack to a privately run kennel. They patted and stroked him and told him they would be back to pick him up in two weeks. But Jack didn’t understand this. He was horrified when, from behind the bars of his cage, he saw David and Jenny walk away, never looking back.

Jack was now in jail. Or so it seemed. He was surrounded by strangers, dogs in other cages nearby. A German shepherd was leaping at the bars of his cage, trying to get at Jack, a mid-sized schnauzer, so much smaller than the Alsatian. Jack shrank back in his cage, fearing the monster dog would break through the bars and attack him. Jack knew he wouldn’t have a chance as the big dog’s teeth tore him apart. He trembled with fear. Rupert, owner of the kennel, was quite nice, bringing Jack food and fresh water and patting him twice a day. But Rupert had so many other dogs to look after he saw Jack for only a minute or two each day.

Then David and Jenny came back. Jack’s heart swelled with relief and pride. Here’s my family, we can go home, away from the terrible kennel and the monster slavering dog. Life was normal again. Jack was happy running around Sha Kok Mei, seeing his friends and chasing cats, which nobody minded, because they knew he’d never catch them. But David and Jenny were teachers, who got 90 days off a year plus statutory holidays and annual leave.

Disaster struck Jack over and over and over again. When his family went on holiday — again — he was abandoned in Rupert’s kennel, which he hated as nasty strange dogs tried to attack him through the bars. Sometimes Jack was abandoned for as long as six weeks while David and Jenny visited their families in Australia for Christmas.

Jack became more and more depressed. He was lethargic, hiding in the darkest corner of his cage. He wouldn’t eat and couldn’t sleep. He looked sad, howling and whining in desperation. He chewed at his own skin, which wept and bled. Jack’s health went down and down and down.

David and Jenny, when they returned from their holidays, were disturbed by Jack’s condition. They took him to the vet, who prescribed clomicalm, a medicine for dogs with separation anxiety. It didn’t seem to help. Jack was listless, withdrawn, he wouldn’t play nor eat or drink. His once beautiful coat was lank and falling off. Jack looked like he had a skin disease.

But Christmas was coming again. David and Jenny wanted to go to Australia for a family holiday. They took Jack back to Rupert’s kennel. They left him there, walking away as poor Jack watched, trembling, from behind his cage bars.

Three days later Rupert found Jack curled up in the darkest corner of his cage.

Jack had died of a broken heart.