This is my Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, Riko.
You can’t really see it but that is my Billingham. It’s just a 350SGD camera bag which Riko tried to make into his new bed by plonking himself on it leaving his tiny hair and possibly saliva all over my bag.

Here we have my bedsheet which Riko conveniently fell asleep on the moment I took it out for washing.

Then you have Riko on my cushion.

And Riko on his favourite spot on the sofa.

Sometimes, it’s like having a small monster in my house.

I’ve lost count of the number of times he took my letters, chewed on my papers, destroyed my books, pulled the toilet paper and gave me ‘the look’ to beg for food.
He gave me hell when he had an ear infection, tick infection and sometimes he comes back from his walks with his whole body crawling with ants because he dived into the bushes.

But it has never ever crossed my mind to abandon him like this: Owners Abandon Household Pets as they Spring Clean for CNY 

My dog is way cooler than yours!

I come across cases of abandonment and abuses of pets in my news feed almost on a daily basis and I always shake my head as I read them.
Why do people do such a thing? Because they are tired of their pets? Because their pets are old? Or simply because they can?

Image by Pandora

Sure, Riko can be annoying when he tugs at the leash and dives headfirst into the bushes but he has kept me company throughout my darkest moments. He is there when I was all alone and being a photographer god bless his soul, he is the model of many of my test shoots. Which involves long hours of working with flashes. Sure he falls asleep during the shoots and scows at me when I take too long, but he always stays very still and lets me do what I want.
When he had a tick infection, I am sure it hurts like hell pulling out the ticks and spraying the disinfectant. But he just kept still on my lap giving the occasional sigh which incidentally sounds a lot like a pig snorting!

Image by Pandora

Image by Pandora

I’ve also lost count of the number of times he killed his toys. “Killed’ meaning he pulled the stuffings out and he would then bring his dead toy to me and ask me to sew it up. Ok, mostly I had to snatch it away from him to prevent him from eating the stuffing.

Hugging the Orange Moose

Sleeping time

One may suffer a world of demons for the sake of an angel, Riko is that angel for me and I will never abandon him(: