PETROL POOCH
Cath Tracey, 48, from Plymouth, watched in horror as her pup became trapped in a car’s engine…
At the age of three, our Bedlington terrier, Woody, was a bit old for puppy class. But me and my husband Mike, 52, had to enrol him anyway.
‘His recall is bad,’ I told the trainer. ‘If there’s a cat to chase, we don’t stand a chance.’
Just a glimpse of one and he’d be off like a bullet down the road, with me and Mike standing no chance of catching him.
But after two weeks at puppy school, he seemed to have improved. The following year, I came home from work one evening, dumping two bags of groceries on the kitchen floor before heading back out to collect the rest from the car.
‘Are you coming, Woody?’ I asked, as he trotted behind me. But just then, a cat appeared. Woody’s trot turned into a gallop as he pursued it under our neighbour’s blue Corsa which was parked in the street.
‘Leave that cat alone!’ I shouted, peering under the car. I could hear the cat hissing.
Bending down to have a look, I spotted Woody’s fluffy white leg hanging down from the engine. ‘Woody!’ I shouted, alarmed. Then Mike, who had just come home from work, pulled up.
‘What on earth are you doing?’ he frowned. ‘Woody’s under the car,’ I said. I shouted for Woody again while Mike went to go find the owner of the car.
Soon enough, he was back with our neighbour, and as he opened the car bonnet, two cats came hurtling out, running across the street and disappearing out of sight. Then I spotted Woody. He’d wedged himself into the car engine and was staring up at us with a funny look on his face. ‘Silly dog!’ Mike laughed. ‘How did you get yourself stuck in there?’
A few of our neighbours had gathered around to see what was going on.
‘I don’t think we can get him out without hurting him,’ one said.
We couldn’t see his body, so we didn’t know quite
how tightly he’d wedged himself in.
And, pulling him out from under the car would be impossible without jacking it up.
‘You’ll have to ring the fire brigade,’ I told Mike.
Ten minutes later, a fire engine appeared, drawing in even more spectators.
Poor Woody looked absolutely mortified!
A fireman lifted a cable and pulled Woody out with the help of a neighbour.
‘Here you are,’ he said, handing him to me. He was covered in oil. ‘That will teach you,’ I said to Woody.
Hopefully he’s learnt his lesson now – no more
climbing into cars!