After ten years of absolute loyalty to the Perera family, Cleo departed unfortunately after being stung by a cobra. However the family remembers her for all the times she kept them company and for being the most obedient, well-mannered, caring mongrel that had ever lived. She will always have a special place in the hearts of all proving time and again that man's best friend can always be a canine. 

Pet's Details 

Name : Cleo
Breed : Mongrel
Age : 10 
Owners : Ashanti and Wiranga Perera 

What's the story behind the name you gave her? 

It was my sisters' idea to name her Cleo. She was as lovely as Cleopatra I guess! 

What were meal times and bath times like? 

Meal times were at 8.30am and 3.30pm, nothing in between and nothing after, although my sister and I made a few exceptions, whilst we were snacking! Bath times were once a week on a Sunday at 12 noon, when the sun was at its zenith. 

Did she do anything out of the ordinary which fascinated you? 

Yes she was trained to carry her bowl to either my mama sister or myself when feeding time came around. It was cute to see her at 4 months carrying a bowl that was larger than her. She was also in the habit of tapping at the front or rear windows to attract our attention especially when our mama was out, wanting to come in. 

What was her most favourite fun time activity? 

Hers was chasing birds, squirrels et al, hoping to catch them, but when she grew older she actually did. Also not forgetting the multitude of times we played together -hide n seek plus fetch the ball. 

What was the naughtiest thing she had ever done? 

Chewing our shoes, anything wooden when she was teething, peeing in the house but as she grew older she was refined. 

How did you find her? 

She was the cutest in a litter of 5. 

How did she react when you returned home? 

It was as if she had not seen us in ages. She had a short tail and it was nice to see it wag and it was similar to a pendulum of a clock in motion quite unlike her parents who had long bushy tails. 

What was the best thing about her? 

She was very faithful, like all dogs treated well I guess and when medication time came around there she was opening her mouth and we never had to force medication down her throat; capsules or tablets placed deep within her throat, with her mouth shut tight and a massaging of her outer throat helped her swallow them. She was also in the habit of coming around the back of the house to where our mama was cooking our breakfast at 4.30am, sitting on the rug till mama was done. 

What was the most unforgettable moment that you shared with her? 

There were several! The saddest was when she was stung by a cobra and she was alive and kicking for almost 5 days and I guess it took a long time for the venom to take effect. She was not eating, losing weight and we took her to a vet several times to no avail. The happiest was when we decide to keep her from amongst 5 other puppies! 

By Eshani Seneviratne