Ben Fogle with Inca (black) and his wife Marina's dog, Maggi (brown) Photo: REX FEATURES
"Time waits for neither man nor dog, and one of the brutal truths of the natural order is that man outlives most other species. I always knew it would happen, but nothing really prepared me for the sudden shock.
Earlier this month I was on the Isle of Wight on a family holiday with our dogs, Inca and Maggi. Inca’s deterioration had been rapid. At 12, she had lost full control of her back legs and even walking had become difficult. She would often collapse while eating or, worse, while relieving herself; frequently I found myself holding her while she did her business. I had to carry her in and out of the car, and soon she couldn’t even get up from her bed.
I called Dad, and told him about her decline.
“What do you think?” he asked.
There was a pause. Not because I was thinking, but because I couldn’t bring myself to say it.
“Then we know the answer.”
I burst into uncontrollable tears.
The 24 hours following that phone call were probably the most painful of my life. The knowing. Inca, my beloved Inca.
“Breathe deeply.” I am panicking again just thinking about it. Tears are streaming down my cheeks as I write this because it is so raw. I want to try to express the complex tangle of love between man and dog.
Yet with Inca, it wasn’t exactly love at first sight."
By Ben Fogle / continue reading
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