Pie’s last blog.
When I started Pie’s blog Page I had an idea which I thought readers of the blog might enjoy. Our intention was always to let Pie go free when he was old enough, and what I planned on doing was writing a monthly blog by Pie as he wandered around the Touw River Valley, The Wilderness and Porcupine Pie Lodge itself, and letting Pie tell interesting and amusing stories of happenings at the Lodge.
In the middle of May we received a second porcupine that we estimate to be about 6 months old. But this was definitely a worldly porcupine that was not vaguely interested in captivity. It was in fact such a character that we named it “Cracker”. Well Cracker escaped the enclosure on it’s first night here and spent the days in hiding, but came out every night for dinner and then spent the night lying with Pie but on the outside of the enclosure.
That decided us – it was time to set Pie free. We cut a section of the fence away the next day at lunch time. Pie watched us, sniffed around the open piece but did not move.
Only after dinner, when Cracker was with him did he finally venture out. We watched sadly as he & Cracker paddled off down the trail towards the valley – would we ever see them again?
At 3.30am we were woken by a commotion & went out to find that Pie & Cracker had broken into the dog’s enclosure and were happily sleeping next to Cole & Saffron’s kennel. We always suspected that Pie thought he was a dog, but here was the proof – he was back with the friends he had grown up with & was feeling secure.
And as everyone seemed perfectly comfortable with this sleeping arrangement we did not worry about it.
Unbeknown to us, Pie was “marking his territory every time he went out which in turn was attracting wild porcupines – one of which broke into the dog’s enclosure . Whether Cole was defending Pie, or whether he simply did not realise that not all porcupines were friendly he tragically suffered the consequence of us messing with nature.
Cole, the beautiful 75kg Great Dane with not a nasty bone in his body died on the morning of the 27th May from injuries sustained.
We not only lost the most wonderful dog anyone could hope to have, but this event has upset the balance and created mistrust between all involved. Saffron is now terrified of porcupines, and the porcupines do not trust her or us the way they used to. It was however us who created this un-natural situation, and we wanted to make sure that Pie & Cracker do not suffer as a result of what has happened. We have made enquiries and are happy to announce that Botlierskop Private Game Reserve in Little Brak River on the Garden Route have agreed to give them a new home from next week.
Pie might at some stage start writing his blogs again from Botlierskop, but I am sorry, this will be Pie’s last blog from here.
When I started Pie’s blog Page I had an idea which I thought readers of the blog might enjoy. Our intention was always to let Pie go free when he was old enough, and what I planned on doing was writing a monthly blog by Pie as he wandered around the Touw River Valley, The Wilderness and Porcupine Pie Lodge itself, and letting Pie tell interesting and amusing stories of happenings at the Lodge.
In the middle of May we received a second porcupine that we estimate to be about 6 months old. But this was definitely a worldly porcupine that was not vaguely interested in captivity. It was in fact such a character that we named it “Cracker”. Well Cracker escaped the enclosure on it’s first night here and spent the days in hiding, but came out every night for dinner and then spent the night lying with Pie but on the outside of the enclosure.
That decided us – it was time to set Pie free. We cut a section of the fence away the next day at lunch time. Pie watched us, sniffed around the open piece but did not move.
Only after dinner, when Cracker was with him did he finally venture out. We watched sadly as he & Cracker paddled off down the trail towards the valley – would we ever see them again?
At 3.30am we were woken by a commotion & went out to find that Pie & Cracker had broken into the dog’s enclosure and were happily sleeping next to Cole & Saffron’s kennel. We always suspected that Pie thought he was a dog, but here was the proof – he was back with the friends he had grown up with & was feeling secure.
And as everyone seemed perfectly comfortable with this sleeping arrangement we did not worry about it.
Unbeknown to us, Pie was “marking his territory every time he went out which in turn was attracting wild porcupines – one of which broke into the dog’s enclosure . Whether Cole was defending Pie, or whether he simply did not realise that not all porcupines were friendly he tragically suffered the consequence of us messing with nature.
Cole, the beautiful 75kg Great Dane with not a nasty bone in his body died on the morning of the 27th May from injuries sustained.
We not only lost the most wonderful dog anyone could hope to have, but this event has upset the balance and created mistrust between all involved. Saffron is now terrified of porcupines, and the porcupines do not trust her or us the way they used to. It was however us who created this un-natural situation, and we wanted to make sure that Pie & Cracker do not suffer as a result of what has happened. We have made enquiries and are happy to announce that Botlierskop Private Game Reserve in Little Brak River on the Garden Route have agreed to give them a new home from next week.
Pie might at some stage start writing his blogs again from Botlierskop, but I am sorry, this will be Pie’s last blog from here.
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