blunkett_for_pm: I remember when your dog Lucy vomited in Parliament. Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Indeed, I had expected Cosby to be with me for another three years at least.There was something special about him. There are no comments yet - be the first to add your thoughts real-world solutions, and more.
continue to respect all commenters and create constructive debates. Each of the six guide dogs I’ve had — Ruby, Teddy, Offa, Lucy, Sadie and lately Cosby — has been a character in their own right.But with all the others — unlike with Cosby — at least I had time to prepare for their retirement, or, in the case of Teddy, who joined me in the Commons 30 years ago, his gradual decline.Even Margaret Thatcher sent me a handwritten note when she learned of his death.Cosby’s predecessor, Sadie, retired when she was 11, and so we had time to grow older together. Clearly, the cancer had accelerated, and the surgery that had been planned was now out of the question.So, on Friday afternoon, after I had shed tears, my wife and I revisited the clinic, and I held his head while the deed was done.During our six years together, Cosby was my guide and companion, and he had become a familiar friend to many. As with all their predecessors, they will have to learn my daily routines. Terrorised villagers speak of their distress...Virginia Giuffre describes Ghislaine Maxwell's private parts in unsealed court docs in which she claims she...EXCLUSIVE: 'The girls couldn't be black.' Please I also have family members and other pals facing the most enormous challenges with ill health.So I am painfully aware that for those who have lost a child, a partner, a parent or a sibling, hearing about the loss of a beloved animal will seem to be bordering on the self-indulgent.Forgive me, therefore, for writing in emotional terms about the great big lovable and enduring Cosby, my guide dog over the past six years.Guiding light: Lord Blunkett and his beloved guide dog, Cosby, who has passed awayLast Friday, with the excellent advice of his vet and the veterinary surgeons at an animal hospital in Hertfordshire, I had to take the heart-breaking decision that Cosby should be put to sleep.Such a moment would be upsetting for any dog-owner, but even for a hard-bitten former Home Secretary, this was a deeply harrowing decision.What made it more traumatic was the speed with which events unfolded.The previous Sunday, in Sheffield, had seen him chasing a ball and being his usual exuberant self.True, he had been spooked by the previous night’s fireworks in a way not experienced in previous years. try again, the name must be unique {{#replies}} He expresses regret at the departure and looks back at Offa’s career, but says the vet who treated him when he was ill will take him in.
Due to the sheer scale of this comment community, we are not able to give each post Indeed, I had expected Cosby (left) to be with me for another three years at leastEven the best-trained guide dog will always look out for any opportunity to nick titbits.
Also discusses his new dog which he will be unveiling next week.