Out of Africa and into Marlay — I’m Mwisho
HI! I’m Mwisho from Moshi, a yellow African Village dog, genetically distinct and related to Eurasian wolves of 40,000 years ago. My Swahili name tells I was the last born puppy. I lived in Tanzania in the foothills of snow-capped Kilimanjaro.
Me and my sister were rescued as puppies by two Dubliners, Mark and Sarah, international development workers who organised health, education and conservation services. They worked with the Maasai Mara community to protect lions, elephants and rhino on the plains.
I have huge ears which rotate like a satellite dish. I could hear sounds far across the African plains and around corners. I was the champion hunter of tasty geckos, scorpions and snakes. Sometimes I ate them whole, sometimes I buried them for later.
Mark and Sarah got used to collecting discarded lizards’ tails in shoes or beds. The only complaint they made was that my jamba — or farts — were vicious. But I don’t think it was me.
At age four I came to Ireland. My first ride in a car was on my way to the airport last year for my flight to Dublin. I wasn’t used to the sounds and smells of city traffic, bin lorries, and people-crowded streets. Dublin was scary at first. I had never walked in snow or seen the sea before. I had never run up stairs.
I now live near Marlay Park with Mark’s parents and two cats, Pippy and Tig. The cats sure looked tasty but my owner rescued Pippy from my jaws before I got to taste. Now we are good friends breaching etiquette in sharing each other’s feeding bowls and hunting mice together.
We make a good team and my new owners are used to finding tails and ‘bits of treasure’ in unexpected places. I try to be imaginative. The fart issue remains — I blame the cats.
I hate rain and cold. I love king-sized beds and feather duvets. I bed-hop to find the warmest person to cosy up to. I love walks in Marlay Park with a cute mini Schnauzer named Maddy Shatter.
There are lots of fox and dog scents to savour. I’ve met friendly people who come to check out my big ears and give me a ‘cead mile failte’ pat.
I wag my tail and twerk in sheer pleasure. I’m now a naturalised Irish dog with my passport which states ‘Mwisho from Marlay’. I’ve learned that I am a madra.
Orla O’Neill,
Marlay Park, Dublin
If you would like your pet featured in this column please send a story of 440 words and a photograph to snews@independent.ie clearly labelled MY PET