Pedigrees Don't

Count At Annual

Suva Pet Show

From Elspeth Robbins in Suva.

Every year in Suva, a some what unusual pet show takes place. Exhibitors are restricted to children and classes are graded to encourage the children of all races to join in.

BREEDING doesn’t count; pets are judged on their general condition, their tail-wagging abilities or their manners.

This year the show is to be held at the end of August.

Ever since we have been in the Colony, our family have been most enthusiastic pet show goers.

Lupee, the result of an alliance between Lulu, a little jungle hen and Peter, the proud rooster next door, was our first entrant.

We decided to enter her for The Most Unique Pet but a gentleman guinea pig won the event that year.

Undaunted, next year Lupee was again entered in the same class (this time along with numerous guinea pigs) only to find that someone had entered a flying fox, indisputedly the winner and a great attraction to curious onlookers.

Late Entry

But our eldest son discovered that there was only one entry in the poultry section and by producing another 3d., we could register Lupee as a late entry.

That Lupee was well-conditioned could not be discounted. She did us proud as she sat quietly on a bed of clean straw in my work-basket (borrowed for the occassion) with every feather shining, beak and legs a bright yellow, comb plump and rosy, and perky bright eyes appraising the scene. Her prowess in egg laying was never questioned.

A blue rosette was attached to her basket and three small boys achieved a state of pride and bliss to remember all their lives.

For three years, Lupee Repeated her success in the poultry section— not because of her pedigree or her egg-laying statistics, but because she was loved and lovable.

The offspring from our own guinea pigs have been winning prizes for some years now. It is always a source

of disappointment that Basil and Annabel, the two originals, can never time the arrival of their frequent litters to coincide with the date of the pet show so we can enter them in the Best Pet Family.

Once only we entered our cat, Paw- Paw, the memory of which sears my soul to this day.

Compensatory Gesture

Since his early kittenhood, Paw Paw has slept all day among the cool fragrant shadows, dappled with sun light, of a neighbour’s fern house and never has he once touched a dendro bium or a cattleyea.

As a gesture on our part to com pensate for the risky situation of puss among the orchids, we suggested that the neighbour’s little girl could enter our cat in her name . . . and, of course, keep the prizemoney if any.

As this meant we would have four children, one Fijian housegirl, two guinea pigs, one hen and one cat to transport to the pet show by 2 p.m., Dad was asked to forego his usual 12 till 1 p.m. Saturday session at the club—a suggestion which he took resignedly.

Lunch was to be ready at 12.30., leaving ample time for the children and animals to be assembled for departure at 1.30 p.m.

All went smoothly until Dad, still smarting slightly about his lost half hour at the club, tooted the horn to signal he was going ... or else.

Paw Paw, who had so far endured be-ribboning and talcing with stoical, male indifference, now took umbrage and disappeared under the hedge.

Two small children immediately opened their mouths to the fullest and bellowed. The pandemonium roused our neighbours who kindly joined in the chase.

Dishevelled Ten minutes later, panting and dishevelled but with only a few whiskers bent, Paw Paw was confined in his box and his ribbon was re tied.

This encounter with near disaster left us all so weakened, we drove to the Pet Show in silence..

That the car spluttered a bit as we went past the club was probably purely coincidental. Anyway, Paw Paw won a white rosette and 5/-.

The annual children’s pet show is run by the Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and to mark the start of a “Be Kind to Animals Week” when efforts are intensified to instruct children and others about the proper care of animals.