Historic characters

Rainbow Bridge

Lady Jaina

Jaina was adopted from the Melbourne Lost Dogs' Home in late 1988, the day before Luke came from the RSPCA (I chose him, but my daughter couldn't forget the Collie) after Daniel died . Jaina was then 3 or 4, and had very recently had pups, still carrying her stitches from being de-sexed, and a load of mange mites, but quite beautiful, with the biggest coat I have ever seen on a Collie, in fascinating grey-brown sable shades I would love to re-create. She was very soon found to have visual problems, initially at night, and progressed to total blindness by the

time she was about 7, which has made me very conscious of the breed's potential for genetic eye disorders. She was a saint of a dog, and it's impossible to do justice to her gentle personality in words, but she won over many a dog-shy child and adult ... just never Luke ! Jaina moved with me to Adelaide in 1992, and again in 1998, but was never thoroughly at ease in her new home, and gradually retired. She died aged 15, just before Christmas 1999 after 11 years of robust health.

Mr. Alexander Brown ('Sandy')

Sandy came to us at the age of 8 from the Melbourne RSPCA in 1997, and was so eager to please me that despite having been ill-treated in his earlier life, and certainly not trained, he competed in both Obedience and Agility before retiring at the age of 10, disproving the "old dog, new tricks" tenet. He was a lovely gentle boy with a glorious flowing coat after it grew back from the initial shave which was necessary because of his matted condition, delightful with people,

puppies and kittens, once we had taught him how to play...he loved his toys ! ...but suffered some personality changes in his last year, and died of a massive stroke in January 2001, probably from a brain tumour. I am pleased to have given him a few good years, and he repaid me handsomely.

Lucas Brown

Luke was the family stalwart, having been adopted from the Melbourne R.S.P.C.A. as a 4-year-old in late 1988, making him 17 when he died from pancreatitis in May 2001. He may have been Welsh Springer Spaniel/Golden Retriever with a splash of Border Collie, or maybe not, but was a very handsome and appealing boy, his chestnut & white colouring toning in well with the Sable Collies. He continued to supervise us all on our daily walks, until the day before he died, but was always a bit above the frolicking, and

as his eyesight and hearing faded, he just had to follow his nose, and did so regardless! My son considered Lucas was his father-figure and role-model for gentlemanly manhood, and indeed many learned a great deal from him .
He is pictured here in front of his beloved fridge, aged 17, at Easter 2001, only ten days before he died.

Trio Brown

Trio was a beautiful tri-colour adopted from the Australian Animal Protection Society, south-east of Melbourne, as a young adult in 1989. She and Luke ran the show as the family elders, and were great mates, and a wonderful team as educators, while sharing a 'PeterPan' approach to their own pursuits. She liked flowering shrubs, or more particularly, the pots they grew in, velvet cushions and silk drapes .. quite
a lady ! She died suddenly and without apparent injury in May 2002, one year to the day after her old friend Luke.

Sadly, young 'Harry' (right) wasn't with us for very long ... he wandered into our lives mid-2004, charmed us, seemed to settle in beautifully, confident and full of trusting curiosity, yet the purriest & cuddliest kitten ... then was brutally taken from the family by an evil force within the household ... . he will be lovingly remembered & missed ....
and we will all be a little wiser ...