LITTLE Spice has proven it doesn’t matter how small you are, with the right amount of heart, determination and love you can become a champion.
Spice, a seven year old Chihuahua cross, was rescued by Kay Sargent from Animal Lodge in Drummond from Durban SPCA when she was a year old.
“I had gone to fetch a border collie from there as part of Border Collie Rescue when I saw her poking her head through the bars of the cage. She had come in as a stray and was apparently an escape artist with lots of energy,” said Kay.
Kay couldn’t resist and took the little dog home with her. That night when she took all her dogs for a walk, Spice ran over to the see- saw in the agility practice area and went over it.
“The see-saw especially for the smaller dogs can be quite a scary thing as it moves and makes a sound as it goes down but she wasn’t scared at all and went back to do it again.”
And so began her career as an agility dog. With her natural intelligence, high energy levels and love of Kay she took to the sport with eagerness.
The pair progressed through the levels and this year were awarded a champion certificate a week before winning the coveted KZN Provincial contact agility champion title for small dogs.
“She went like a rocket and didn’t put a foot rock. It was amazing to win. She is the cleverest little that I have ever owned,” said Kay.
This remarkable feat by the two was made all the more special by the fact that they were both involved in a serious car accident in May 2010 which almost ended both their agility jumping chances.
Kay was a passenger in the car with Spice sitting on her lap on the way to a show when the driver blinded by the sun in her eyes drove into a truck. Badly injured, Kay was transported to hospital with a broken right leg. Spice who also broke her right leg was taken to Inanda Veterinary Hospital.
The vet recommended amputating her badly damaged toes but this would have meant loss of balance and the end to her promising agility ability. The local dog community rallied around and held a dog show to raise the R20 000 operation needed to wire her toes and ankle.
“I am extremely grateful to the dog community who helped us like they did.”
Kay spent six weeks in hospital and a total of three months recovering at a friend’s house as she wasn’t allowed to have the open leg wound exposed to dirt and dog hair. It was another six months before she could walk again. Spice spent time recovering at home on cage rest.
When Kay finally came home, she said her other dogs reacted like she had only been gone a day whereas Spice stopped, sniffed the air and went hysterical to get to Kay.
It is this special bond that has seen them through the recovery process together and go on to become champions.
