Reunited & it Feels so Good

For the first time since we landed in Canada we slept soundly and deeply, snuggled in a warm comfortable bed surrounded by complete darkness and utter silence, with no light pollution or sirens to disturb our slumber. These were the nights we had grown accustomed to living in the wop wops of NZ and it was not until now that we realised how much we had missed it and how much we now craved it.

We awoke the next morning refreshed and surprisingly lighter as if a weight had been lifted, staying in the Lilly Pad was going to be just what we needed, some peace and a chance to feel settled after the stress and frenetic energy of the city. We eagerly checked our emails whilst waiting for our nectar of the gods to brew (a nice cuppa tea that is) and found the confirmation from Jet Pets that we had been waiting for, our fur babies had passed their vet checks and had made it on to the flight to Halifax.

Love is a four-legged word.

We could not wait to see them, and we were careful to remember to bring Lola’s blanky with us which we had brought over in our luggage from NZ, we had not washed it so that it would have a familiar smell to it. I am not sure why I am admitting this, but we have been sleeping with the blanky and on occasion sniffing it because it smelt like our lovely pooch (thankfully she was not too stinky) and made us feel closer to her, yep it is confirmed we are weirdo’s …shhhhh it’s our secret.

Cat toys, treats, cat blankets, cat food, poo bags, dog lead, harness and dog coat were hurriedly thrown in the back of the truck along with the scissors that would be required to cut the cable ties of the pet carriers (I know right, because there would not be any scissors at Air Canada Cargo that we could borrow, we had to bring our own).

We started our two-hour journey to the cargo warehouse of Halifax Airport chatting nervously all the way there and feeling like first time parents. We questioned ourselves constantly, would our fur babies have wasted away with the stress of travel, would they recognise us, worse still would they hate us forever for dragging them away from thirty-one acres of freedom and paradise, I would have hated us if I were in their paws to be honest!

Friends and family had urged us to capture the heart-warming moment that we were reunited with our pets on video so that they could experience it with us and of course we could use it in the blog like the many bloggers that have come before us. We envisioned walking into the cargo airport offices, dropping to our knees, tears streaming from our faces as Lola excitedly leaps into our arms whilst simultaneously contorting herself into a pretzel as is the traditional Boxer greeting … we have all seen those You Tube and Face Book videos, right?

Well firstly our reunion could not have been further from what we had imagined and secondly, we did not capture any of it on video, so folks if you were expecting to see an emotional video put your hankies away, they will not be required, we have nothing to offer you other than a great heap of disappointment!

There’s nothing like the smell of disappointment in the morning.

Naturally we arrived early as did Marilyn (from the Kitty Care Inn) who would be collecting the cats, we were informed that the pets were still in transit from the airport to the cargo hanger and we were not allowed into the building until they had arrived. Once we got the green light, we were instructed to reverse our vehicles into the hanger with the doors closing behind us, we donned our face masks (not helpful for pets to recognise you but those were the rules), got out of the truck and watched as our pets were wheeled in on a pallet like a consignment of baked beans.

From that point on it was all a blur, we very quickly got the impression from the cargo staff that we needed to get a move on and clear the way, we unceremoniously shoved the cats pet carriers into the back of Marilyns car sparing just a few moments to stroke an ear or scratch a chin as we did so.

Next, we moved on to Lola, the hanger was full of noise and the sound of people working, forklifts and airport buggies moving around, the circumstances were not ideal. When we finally got through the cable ties with our cheap crappy scissors and released Lola there was no pretzel greeting for us, in fact we did not even get a half-hearted croissant! She just stood there looked at us, surveyed the hanger and promptly piddled all over the floor.

Okay, the reunion was ruined but the peeing although expected was slightly embarrassing. Lola had not even been given a chance to relieve herself after such a long flight, and whilst we felt that Air Canada cargo deserved it, we did not want to be responsible for cleaning it up so were thinking this would be a suitable time to go.

All the workers were distracted, so if we were quick, we might even be able to make it out of the hanger door before anyone noticed but once Lola started peeing, she did not stop! She went on, and on, and on, creating her own Olympic swimming pool of pee right there in the middle of the hanger floor. Lola had single handedly summed up our entire reunion experience, a giant puddle of piss.

We have never moved as fast as we did to get Lola into the back of the truck, which is no mean feat because Lola being a typical Boxer is a princess and cannot jump into large vehicles, she must be picked up. With her front legs on the seat, hind legs in hand and her butt in our faces (believe me this is a dangerous position to be in especially after a long flight) we catapulted her into the back of the truck and made an escape only rivalled by the Dukes of Hazzard.

We tried to use the valuable journey time to the Kitty Care Inn to make a fuss of Lola, but she was having no bar of it, she glanced at us occasionally giving us the side eye before looking away disinterestedly. This was what we had dreaded, and we did not blame her for it, it is not always like the Disney (social media) movies, Lola had a lot to get her pup head around.

Thankfully the cattery was only a twenty-minute drive from the airport, we got the cats inside (leaving Lola to doze in the truck) and Marilyn locked the door as we released them from their carriers, the cats were the biggest surprise. We all know that cats are secret (sometimes not so secret) psychopath’s, always plotting new and interesting ways for humans to meet their demise, we were convinced that the cats would have used their time in various catteries and on flights to develop a full-scale plan to end us. In fact, we would not have been surprised if they had organised for a phone to be smuggled in (let’s face it no one is going to check a cat butt) and used it to hire a professional to put a hit on us.

We were shocked when all three cats greeted us by wrapping themselves around our legs and brushing up against us (this could have been their way of tackling us to the floor before going for the jugular), letting us pick them up and kiss and cuddle them for the next hour, we couldn’t believe they recognised us.

Bobby our little fluffball of love had obviously worked out that if he schmoosed all his handlers then he would get more treats and was consequently three times the size he was when we packed him into the carrier in NZ (this may have been a cunning plan to use his girth to sit on our faces in our sleep and suffocate us). Other than Bobby’s obvious weight issue the cats were in good health, in good spirits and happy to see us, we weren’t a total failure as pet parents.

The wonderful Marilyn let us walk Lola around her garden to do her ‘business’ before we headed back to Annapolis, she dutifully did a number two, still reeling from the pee incident at the airport we half expected something the size of a mountain to come out of her back end so were relieved that one poo bag would suffice instead of fifty. It was now time to take our girl back to the cottage.

The drive back was quiet and whilst we were a little sad that Lola was so subdued, we understood, she had been through so much and we were so happy to have her with us again where she belongs. We would now make it our priority to ensure she feels settled and loved.

As soon as we got through the door of the cottage she perked up and after a big dinner and some play time she collapsed exhaustedly into her ridiculously expensive dog bed, the cottage was working its magic.

Today had been the happiest of days and we celebrated by sharing a toast over a glass of wine and staring at our snoozing pup until our eyes watered …I’m not crying you’re crying!