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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted -
14/10/2004
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09:57
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Jack is making a lot of friends in Barlick. I don't know why, maybe it's his face markings but people on the street feel the need to stroke him. Women in particular fall for him.
As you know, I had a bad experience with Joe, the lurcher from Irlam. I was very wary about taking another feral dog on but I'm beginning to think that Jack will make it as a member of the team. He's good at coming to hand when off the lead but I'm not saying he'd take any notice if he was distracted.
He's fast and very agile and seems to have lungs as big as a bucket, I haven't heard him pant as though he's out of breath even after a hard run. As for jumping, he's like a cat. Here he is on his favourite perch. Someone asked me the other day why I don't stop him doing it. It's easier to clean the drainer twice a day!
[This topic started as Jack's blog but in Jan 2008 I had to put him down because he started attacking strange dogs. His successor is Black Jack. a Patterdale pup, no point erasing Jack the Lurcher from history.... he was a good dog and what happened wasn't his fault. He had too bad a start.....]
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk
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Anni
Regular Member
634 Posts
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Posted - 05/02/2008 : 19:22
My god Stanley - I started to read that and my jaw dropped open.
It has reminded me of a trip to Frankfurt Zoo in 1972. A big plaque on the wall stated "around this corner you will see the most vicious nasty animal ever to roam this earth" (roughly translated and dug out of the depths of my memory).
Around the corner was a mirror. I took it to mean that humans could be just as violent and nasty as animals and could turn on you quite easily.
However, despite being exposed to some very evil people and their deeds over ensuing years, my memory tends to forget it and it only ever comes to mind when I read or hear of something like you have written. I guess it is my protective mechanism. I should never be surprised - but I always am.
I'm really sorry you have been subjected to this. I probably know you less than the despicable creature who wrote the letter. But one thing I am 100% certain of - your decision was not taken lightly and you did the right thing under the conditions and circumstances you have described. The same people who condemn you would be shouting merry h**l and been the first to condemn you had Jack attacked anyone or anything.
Edited by - Anni on 05/02/2008 7:23:21 PM
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Doc
Keeper of the Scrolls
2010 Posts
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Posted - 05/02/2008 : 19:57
In response to Stanley's letter that he received, all I can say is that apart from being gob smacked with the contents of that letter, I was perhaps the only other person that Big Jack felt close too.
Jack and I had a good relationship together, we had bonded at some time in the past and always welcomed each other with vigor and I for one felt close to him.
When I was aware of Stanley's concerns with Jack and after many discussions on the subject, both Stanley and I searched for a positive outcome to the situation. Unfortunately when you lose your confidence with a sixty pound muscle bound dog who could, and indeed had turned nasty on occasions with totally no heed to his master, you have to make the responsible decision to correct the situation.
Re-homing Jack was not the answer it would be just moving the problem elsewhere and I was totally in agreement with that decision, The final decision to have Jack put to sleep was in my opinion the kindest outcome to this very sorry situation. Only Stanley will know the heartache that decision brought and I take my hat off to him for making that very courageous but difficult decision to have his best pall and companion put to sleep.
To the person who wrote that letter may I say that it is quite horrendous how you could attack such a person for making these decisions without being in possession of all the facts, you should be ashamed of yourself especially when not having the guts to even put your own name to the letter and hiding under the veil of autonomy. In future I would advise you to keep your mouth shut and your opinions to yourself until such times as you have built up enough courage and backbone to say these things face to face. The letter you wrote sickend me.
Shortly after this sorrowful event my wife Carole daughter Amy and myself took Stanley to see little Jack the Patterdale terrier for the first time, if you could have seen the look of happiness in Stanley's eyes you would have realised that this man was indeed a heartfelt "Dog Man" as I am. Little Jack definatley landed on his feet when Stanley took him home and I am sure that both of them will have many happy times together and long may it continue.
TTFN - Doc
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softsuvner
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Posted - 05/02/2008 : 23:18
Stanley
Like many on this forum I was shocked and sad to learn the fate of your original Jack.It came so much out of the blue.
But anybody who has had dogs, or cares for animals, knows that these things happen, difficult decision have to be made, and we can all imagine the heart searching and sadness that your decision must have cost you.
I take the charitable view, that this person who has written to you has taken the news as a shock, got half the story ("I heard it from someone who heard that........."), and lashed out against you as people sometimes do in their anger.
If that person really cares for animals, they will either still be prepared to face you and ask the truth, be ashamed for what they have written, or moved on to the next bit of sensational gossip. Either way it is their problem, not yours.
Malcolm
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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 06/02/2008 : 04:53
Thanks to all of yopu for latting me dump on you. It got it off my chest. Malcolm looks at it just as I did, somebody firing from the hip without thinking. Good job my mate Jack can't read it......
[He got me up early this morning to let him out for a pee.... Wo's in charge?}
Sue, I once had a little terrier that ran onto a broken bottle in the field at Hey Farm and slashed it's belly open. After a week of 24X7 treatment she got well enough to jump on my knee and then vanished. The RSPCA found her 4 days later and put her down straight away because she had a horrible infection. I've never forgotten that little dog and the suffering that some stupid person caused and I know how you feel about Tom. It's the price of having unconditional love.....
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
mporter
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Posted - 06/02/2008 : 05:27
To the writer of "the letter" You obviously think you know Stanley, well I have news for you, you don't. I have known him for nearly 47 years and I can assure you he has NEVER been cruel to any animal or human being in all those years. I have never seen him be anything other than kind to an animal, he has never even smacked his daughters. How do I know this? I am his eldest daughter.
It is also obvious that you are not in full possesion of the facts. Before you ever write anything else like this get your facts straight and if you have anything to say say it to the persons face then maybe things can be explained to you properly.
Margaret Porter |
Cathy
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Posted - 06/02/2008 : 08:15
Hi Stanley, you were right to vent to us all. I feel for you, and I imagine receiving that letter was one of those "I don't believe it" moments ... let it go now, but everytime you speak to some-one on your daily wanderings, if they talk about Jack 1, look them in the eye and follow your instinctive feelings, you'll know if your speaking to the person who wrote that awful letter. All my best to you.
All thru the fields and meadows gay .... Enjoy Take Care...Cathy |
Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 06/02/2008 : 08:16
Now that makes everything all right. Pearls beyond price are daughters and good dogs.... mind you, the dogs are marginally less trouble......
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Ringo
Site Administrator
3793 Posts
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Posted - 06/02/2008 : 09:17
We all think the letter was both nasty and cruel. Put it behind you Stanley and get on with looking after your little friend.
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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 07/02/2008 : 06:41
I'm OK with the letter but of course I am still getting reactions. I got this from Martha this morning:
JACK I, too, love animals and have always had pets. It is horrible to see the cruelty which some people visit upon animals, and I occasionally wear a button which says " Abuse an Animal: Go to Jail". It gave me some faith in humanity when an American court ruled recently that 47 dogs who were held and bred to fight were given a lifetime of care at the expense ( over $300,000) of the owner ( a prominent football player) in a no-kill shelter. He also went to jail for 2 years. I think there is much in what Ghandi said : that you can judge a nation by the way it treats its animals and the elderly.
I, too, was sad that Jack had to be put down. I wish there had been a place where he could safely have spent the rest of his life loved and free. But, alas, places like these dogs went to ( The Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Idaho) are all too rare. Also, resources are scarce, and there are those who could reasonably argue that money should be spent first on alleviating human suffering. But I have known Stanley for 33 years and I know the invective recently sent to him anonymously is misinformed and unjust.
Dogs who are abused, as Jack was before Stanley took him in, sometimes cannot overcome their abuse. This holds for people, too, by the way. Jack was becoming a danger not only to other animals but also potentially to people. It would have been irresponsible of Stanley to continue to allow him off the lead, and for a large dog who loved to run, confining him would have meant suffering for him. Humans have the ability to love animals but they also have a duty to use their reason. In the absence of a no-kill shelter like Best Friends , Stanley had no choice.
I applaud the basic instinct of the person who wrote the letter to Stanley, if not its anonymity. If such passion were to be directed toward actually helping animals in need, like speaking out against abuse, rescuing animals, teaching our children to respect all life, how good that would be. We should all have the heart, and the wisdom, of Stanley.
Prof. Martha Paas Carleton College Northfield, Minnesota USA
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I had mail from Gugger as well.... His 14 year old Golden Retriever is giving him cause for concern and at the same time his wife is ill and is in hospital at the moment. These things all seem to drop on you together..... I've sent him my best....
Walter sent me a pic he took when he visited Barlick last year. Note the demonic look on the face of the nasty piece of work as he strangles the dog....
And here's a picture of Black Jack imprisoned in an armchair.... The floggings will continue until moral improves!
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Cathy
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Posted - 07/02/2008 : 08:37
I love his ear's. So cute.
All thru the fields and meadows gay .... Enjoy Take Care...Cathy |
marilyn
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Posted - 07/02/2008 : 09:10
Remember that lovely shot I took of Jack with his arm on your shoulder Stanley? Sometimes you know you have a lovely shot just as soon as you click the button....and I always felt that was a good one. Jack seemed to be saying "This man is MY Dad...'
get your people to phone my people and we will do lunch...MAZ |
Julie in Norfolk
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Posted - 07/02/2008 : 09:15
I am absolutely astonished at the depths that some people manage to reach and to reach that depth anonymously is despicable. Stanley, you did exactly the right thing and you obviously gave this matter a great deal of thought and consideration. Your decision was the compassionate one to make. I wish you all the best.
Measure with a micrometer. Mark with a pencil. Cut with an axe. |
Tizer
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Posted - 07/02/2008 : 12:26
Stanley, your poison-pen letter-writer would probably have sued you if Jack 1 had attacked them or their dog. I too agree with Malcolm's guess that it's someone who has got the wrong story and flown off at a tangent. Then of course it might just be that he/she was primed by someone who gets a kick out of winding up other people, usually gullible ones, and getting them to do daft things. Adult life is very much like a school playground when you think about it. I'm no dog expert but I'm sure that if you were nasty to your dog it would be obvious in the way the dog reacts to you. And we can see it's not the case.
Tizer
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Stanley
Local Historian & Old Fart
36804 Posts
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Posted - 07/02/2008 : 17:18
Let's bury the letter now. I've had my whinge and basked in truly wonderful support from all of you. I have another problem now.... we have got to call an extraordinary meeting of the Old Farts and Lurchers and decide whether we can allow a terrier to enter the fold with all the benefits appertaining.
Stanley Challenger Graham
Barlick View stanley at barnoldswick.freeserve.co.uk |
Another
Traycle Mine Overseer
6250 Posts
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Posted - 07/02/2008 : 17:39
Given that luchers are such an eclectic mix of dog anyway Misty says that she has no problem with a terrier being called a lurcher therefore Jack should be in OFAL. Nolic
" I'm a self made man who worships his creator" |