This is Billy.
When he raced he was named Spanioli.
After we rescued him we got him checked out, and found he had a thyroid condition. He was much happier once he was on thyroxin pills.
He was curious, and gentle. He loved roast chicken.
He was fixed in his routines. He would wait by the front door when it was time for his walk. He would let us know it was time for bed by going himself, and coming back to get us if we did not follow. He would bark at us, just once, if he wanted our attention, and after he had laryngeal paralysis surgery to fix a constricted airway, he would huff at us. When he wanted to sunbathe, he would wait by the back door until we let him out, then he would stand in a patch of sun and look at us until we brought his bed out for him. (Pictured above.)
He loved lying in the dappled sunlight in the garden and sleeping.
He was afraid of building site cranes, and the moon, and hot air balloons. For some reason, he didn’t like dalmatians.
He’s fourteen years old, and has been alert and active, and a few days ago we found that he has kidney failure. He started failing fast, and in the last few days, while still alert, has been less active and not eating all, not even the finest and choicest of treats. In that time, he has been calm and comfortable, not stressed and not in any evident pain, but he was clearly just waiting.
This morning, about half an hour ago, the vet came, and he peacefully and quietly crossed the Rainbow Bridge on his favourite bed.
He was a good boy.
