Size Doesn’t Matter

A few years ago, our six-year-old mini fox terrier, Impi, proved to us that size doesn’t matter. A diminutive little character, he was all heart but wily as a real fox.

We lived on a large rural property where snakes are abundant. We were always careful to close the doors. On one occasion, however, we had a visitor staying with us. As she was a chef and cooked outdoors, she often left the door open while we were out.

This particular evening, my wife and two daughters, aged ten and six, arrived home at around 5pm. Our visitor had gone to work. The girls went straight down to the chicken pen to check out their newly adopted Pekin duck while my wife went inside to find little Impi barking incessantly at the lounge suite. She did not pay immediate attention to the foxie and proceeded into the kitchen to put her phone and keys down.

After a few minutes, with no end to the barking, it was time to investigate. My wife pushed the three-seater lounge suite a metre across the floor to find a large red belly black snake curled up underneath. Shocked, she picked up the dogs – Simba, our ten-yearold Maltese terrier, and Impi – and swiftly exited the house and closed the sliding door behind her. Now, she found herself outside with no car keys or phone. Not to mention that Tigger, our cat, was nowhere to be found.

My elder daughter, Savannah, suggested walking up the driveway to flag down the first car that drove by. Luckily, it was our neighbour, Alan, who calmly took control of the situation. “Oh, it’s just a snake,” he said, and removed the slithery creature without too much fuss.

I arrived home just as Alan was exiting the house, snake in hand. My wife’s welcome home response was “Find me another fox terrier!”

The cat was found asleep upstairs, blissfully unaware of the commotion. You could earn cash by telling us about the antics of unique pets or wildlife. Turn to page 8 for details on how to contribute.