Member-only story
When A Wild “Beast” Wreaks Havoc In Your Garden
And comes back for seconds because it needs your help
I turned off the stove and took the porridge off the hob just as my son shouted from the shed,
“Mum, it stinks of wet dog in here.”
It was an unusual claim at the crack of dawn on a Saturday, and it baffled me for two reasons:
One: It wasn’t raining.
Two: We didn’t have a dog.
“Stay away from the shed,” I told him as I marched through the garden in my pyjamas with more confidence than I felt. I was hoping to find a Chihuahua. Or a Westie. But definitely nothing bigger than a Beagle.
I carefully opened the door, and the distinctive stench hit my nose instantly. It was a mixture of old clutter and a wet dog — a very wet dog, in fact. My son was right.
My eyes scanned the small place.
Old TV… check. Three bicycles… check. Lawn mower… in place. A hole in the back… wait… A hole in the back? That was not there before. And what smells so bad? It must be the musty hodgepodge, I thought, and was about to shut the door when my gaze dropped to the floor and I saw it. He had been staring at me the whole time. Only a few inches from me. Frightened. Unsure whether to fight or flee — or…
