It seems like forever ago that she came to live with us, eight weeks old, with her sister Flash. Inquisitive, gentle, intelligent, affectionate and full of mischief. Leica’s world is dimming now as her eyesight and her hearing slowly desert her and she becomes ever more frail. Bonded to her sister since birth, separated from her only for one night in their entire life together.  In two weeks she will turn fifteen having outlived Flash by two years and four months. A little over two years ago, we adopted KiKI as a companion for her and as we hoped they would they have developed a connection and a companionship that we are sure has helped Leica to carry on. Her enthusiasm for life remains despite her growing frailty, and while she finds KiKi and now Django’s exuberant and at times boisterous behaviour disconcerting, she clearly feels an attachment to them nonetheless. Sometimes we have tried to walk her alone, to allow her to travel at her own pace, but she seems to find this isolation upsetting and often turns and looks back as if to see where the others are. While exagerated hand signals and gestures are now more reliable than sound in keeping her attention or directing her, she can still clearly hear the higher pitch of the whistle we use to call KiKi and Django, indeed she is almost unfailingly more reliable in her recall than either of them.

Her sense of scent is undiminished. Remaining as keen as ever, she understands her surroundings, her companions location and ours as we are carried to her on the wind. On her better days, when her hips seem less stiff, her natural gait and pace are remarkable. Easily outpacing human walking speed, she still trots, tail swinging vigorously, head up and with a light footed grace that is a joy to see.