December 2016
Phil and I thought rather naively that having large animals would be easier. Our thoughts were: they’re bigger, stronger so they’re unlikely to get ill. How silly were we. Only a month in and Joker escaped from the field. He must have eaten something he shouldn’t have in the neighbours garden and fell sick suddenly. The charity’s vet came and said he was very ill and the best thing for him was to put him to sleep. We were devastated. I hadn’t for one moment thought it was this serious. I couldn’t understand how he could get so ill so quickly.
Phil and Kim stayed with him until the end. I was stuck with the kids at the house. To be honest I don’t know how I would have coped in this situation, I was in bits from the moment I got the news. Phil said Kim was amazing, she talked to Joker, stayed calm and stroked him until it was over. I have never seen Phil’s face look like it did that evening. I hope I never do.