Three felines have become celebrities themselves after being adopted and living in Downing Street, the home of the British Prime Minister and the finance minister, better known as the Chancellor of the Exchequer. Palmerston, Gladstone, and the current resident, Larry, have all been extensively photographed and introduced to foreign dignitaries.
Battersea is a large establishment that caters for hundreds of cats and dogs; however, in 2004, the management were decidedly unhappy to learn that many dogs were found wandering freely outside their kennels when staff arrived at work in the morning. This in itself was a bad enough business, but this pack of reprobates were not only roaming around free but was gaining access to the kitchen. Now I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that having up to 12 canines loose in a kitchen full of animal food was not a good idea. Now we have all heard the expression “party animal”, but this really was taking things to the extreme.
Reprimands were issued, and everyone was informed that they must be more diligent when shutting kennel doors. This made no difference as the mayhem continued. With management berating staff and them protesting their innocence, the situation called for drastic action. Security cameras were installed, and the chaos-creating culprit was unmasked.
I can now reveal the name of the hooligan; he was a lurcher named Red.
Unfortunately, Red had arrived in an emaciated condition, and regardless of his generous portion of dinner, he was always hungry. A lurcher, by the way, is a first cross between a greyhound and another breed.
The cameras revealed Red reaching out with his paw and nose and sliding the bolt across, thus easily opening his door. Red then wandered to the kitchen, where he helped himself to the best treats available, and, having learned how to escape, opened the doors of all his mates so they could share his good fortune. It appeared that he first unlocked the door of his best friend, Lucky, alongside whom he was rescued. As far as this motley crew was concerned, freedom meant only one thing: PARTY TIME. And what is the essential ingredient for a party, of course it’s food. With access to unlimited quantities of the stuff and without any supervision, one can only imagine the sight that greeted staff in the morning. Being an ill-disciplined crew, their table manners were sorely lacking; as a result, the kitchen area looked like a bomb site. Red appeared to unlock the doors of a different group every time, the only regular being Lucky, although he did seem to have a VIP list, as certain friends were released more often than others. Releasing up to twelve of his mates at a time, it is understandable that the puzzle took time to solve. One can only admire the dexterity of Red as he not only worked out how to open his own door from the inside but then realised he could open all the doors from the outside. The only upside was that, after hours of partying, the inmates were exhausted and happy to sleep the day away to make up for their nocturnal activities, thereby requiring less exercise.
With the mystery of the midnight revelry solved, Red had his door modified, and his time as director of entertainment came to an abrupt end.
There was, however, a happy consequence of the entire episode. The event became well publicised, and the exploits of Red and his mates captured the country’s imagination. Offers of homes flooded in, and as a result, Red, Lucky and many others were adopted. Warnings were issued to Red’s new owners that the delinquent dog was an escapologist of the highest order and a hardened thief in the food department.
As I have said many times, it is unfortunate that those who offer homes to animals that have become well known for their exploits on social media need such events to be ready to adopt. For every single animal that has its few minutes of fame, there are still thousands that need forever homes.
“It is rewarding beyond words to rescue a dog from a shelter and have that dog become part of your family.”
Jenna Moresca
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