BONNIE’S RACE, AND THE STORY OF BONNIE.

The ‘Hovercrafts’ race is now known as ‘Bonnie’s Race’ in memory of one of its most remarkable runners. Bonnie, who first came to the Tricky Tykes through Scottie Rescue when she was two years old, was one of the most brave and exceptional little dogs you could ever come across. She missed only two performances with the Team despite enduring and overcoming an aggressive form of cancer, and then suffered liver problems and renal failure. She also had Cushings Disease. She was finally put to sleep on 2nd February 2000.

HAPPY  Bonnie was a very sweet little Scottish Terrier who never hurt anyone or anything in her entire life. She did not know what it meant to be aggressive and she seemed to always be happy. Everything was a game to her and she was permanently ready to play. She loved people, puppies, kittens, children, everything. Every Christmas she would play with the tree ornaments and her special favourite was a sleigh on a track. She would spend ages trying to remove it from the track but never ever aggressively, only in play. She loved the terrier racing and if she heard a Tykes video playing she was ready – yap, yap, yap, jumping at the screen.

YAP YAP YAP Who says dogs can’t see things on TV? She would spot terrier racing with no sound and she would be off – yap, yap, yap. Bonnie was the perfect terrier. Lovable, cheeky and cheerful

She took all her cancer treatment and all that happened to her not just stoically, but almost as if she knew it was for her own good, actually enjoying her trips to the vets. She had developed malignant mammary tumours. She underwent surgery three times, followed usually by her creating such a fuss when she saw her fellow Scotties ‘performing’, that her demands had to be met and she was back racing as soon as the stitches were out.!

TYSUL VETERINARY GROUP & THE AHT The cancer was in danger of spreading, and after consultation with Bonnie’s Veterinary Surgeon, Group Partner Siriol Butterworth of Tysul Veterinary Group in Llandysul, Malcolm Brierly the top oncologist at the Animal Health Trust in Newmarket was consulted. He agreed to take Bonnie on, and so she embarked on a course of chemo-therapy. Every few weeks she was taken early in the morning on the 5 hour drive to Newmarket, had her ‘chemo’, and then brought home where she carried on as though it was no big deal!

TERRIER MOBILE  On more than one occasion the whole team (in their luxury coach/converted Mobile Kennels - the ‘Terrier Mobile’ ) went straight from a Show to the AHT, waited for Bonnie while she had her treatment, and then went on home. By the next Show Bonnie’s demands always meant she was back racing again - and because of her hair loss the public were told why she had lost her hair.

CHILDREN It soon became apparent that human cancer sufferers identified with her (especially children), and very many of them all over the country were heartened and inspired by her intense zest for life. Three-monthly check ups confirmed her to be clear of the disease. Her whole treatment had been expensive but to see this happy full of life little 9 year old Scottie made it well worth while.

Then in November 1999 she appeared a little off colour. She was immediately taken to Tysul Veterinary Group. Blood tests revealed kidney problems.

Siriol worked wonders by arranging an immediate consultation with top urologist Dr.Ed Hall in Bristol. She was rushed off to Bristol University Veterinary Centre the following day, and over the next 10 days every possible cause of her problems was explored, but the renal failure was not caused by another treatable illness, it was primary and so it was terminal.