Back to the Dog Palace


 It was early, but not too early to early that I was travelling in the truck with the lady who runs the Dog Palace on Serifos. As we climbed up to it, the mountains were covered in cloud, which stayed with us until the afternoon. So many memories,  how many times did I do this journey when I lived here? The guy who has an allotment in Mega Livadi, he walks there every day, he is at least eighty, we did not see him on the road today, maybe someone else gave him a lift. The lady I just mentioned, she had a fall just after me, at the Palace, and had just returned after having the metal work taken out of her foot. I saw it later, weren’t the screws long we said! A few dogs have died since I left, Maloney, Rex and Victor. A new dog, the daughter of Rita, who was always besotted with me. How would they react? Here is one of the ladies own dogs, wanting to drive her truck.

As we got out there was the chorus of excited barking. For sure Rita was super pleased to see me. Aloni who also seemed closed to me and loved cuddles was a bit more hesitant, but he soon warmed to me. Buddy who we think is eighteen is not so good, but he can still walk about and loves being close to the lady owner. He is happy and content after the torture during most of his life.

There was no question of me walking  the dogs today, but I helped do the cleaning out of their living quarters and just being with them. Scoopie still has to be kept on his own but when the others went for a walk he is let out and he plays really well with Freya, Rita’s daughter.

He seems much more relaxed now which is fantastic. The palace has been slightly remodelled to allow Scoopie and Freya to be together while the others are in Victor’s old area. When Freya and Scoopie go out, the others are let into the main area. It’s all so well thought out. Here are most of the gang.

Here is a happy looking Scoopie who remembers me too and loves being brushed.

Finally Freya, I was interested in how she was and what she was like. She is very like her mother, some of her siblings were black as it turned out. She also likes affection, and is a beautiful dog. She lives in Rex’s old place. 

Below Victor’s place lie some of the dogs I knew and some I did not, with an Allo Vera cactus on each grave. There was no room for Maloney, he is in a separate area where his brother Aloni will go, but for now he seems very well in himself at the moment. I will go back again during this visit to the island. It’s a magical place, a true palace for dogs that saw the worst of human kind and now are seeing  the best.

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