While pondering the meaning of life in hospital, I thought long & hard about Enzo, and how to bring him safely home to Australia. Many of you have already offered financial contributions, but until I really knew how we might achieve this goal, I have gratefully accepted but continued to put 'on hold' those offers. Photograph courtesy of Simona Mikulikova Well, I now have the answer, and wonderful it is. I am beyond excited . . . this is a story of amazing proportions, with the hearts & minds of so many people all over the world focussed on one beautiful senior Airedale, trapped & in danger of losing his life, in Czech Republic. First, we have saved his life. It does sound dramatic, I know, but that was the reality had we not been able to get him to the loving care of Simona Mikulikova & her Black Russian Terriers. Simona has undertaken to care for him as if he were her own, and to assist with the very complicated quarantine protocol that must be followed prior to his departure for Australia. And now we have the plan firmly in place to bring him safely home to Australia. This will, in all probability, be in mid- to late-December 2006. To call it a challenge is an understatement. But by knocking on countless doors (read phone calls & emails), the pathway has become clearer day by day. Atia & I have arrived at the most important point (and for me, the most worrying) of who transports Enzo home. Photograph courtesy of Simona Mikulikova You can imagine the questions in my mind. Safety. Care. Responsibility. What if he got left on the tarmac in some transit touch-down, and got lost. What if his crate were dumped outside in 100-degree heat. (This happened to my brother, sending a cargo of live deer from Australia to SE Asia. The animals survived, but only just.) What if the aircraft simply 'forgot' there was a live animal in their cargo and the atmosphere was de-pressurised. What if some well-meaning person 'undid' his crate and let him out for a run. What if. What if. What if. There are too many tragic stories, all true, including first-hand experiences of breeders here in Oz, who have had Airedales go missing, get lost, and in one ghastly case, killed. Can you wonder that my nights have been somewhat sleepless? From this distance, ensuring Enzo's safety has worried me more than anything. But two days ago, the most amazing window opened into Vienna, Austria. One year ago, Lyn Duff, the breeder of our beautiful Ascha & Aerem, had imported to Australia a stunning male Welsh Terrier from breeder Peter Annus, in Hungary (whose site is HERE). Peter has already been involved in helping with Enzo, searching for assistance in Czech Republic, so he is familiar with this story. Knowing that the little Welshman had arrived safely, I wrote again to Peter asking for any information he could supply regarding his experiences on that occasion. Back came an email within minutes. Peter told me of a company in Vienna, Animals First, run by Helmut & Sylvia Bogner. They had transported the Welsh Terrier to Australia for Peter, who could not speak highly enough of them. Just exactly what & whom we needed, at a fingertip touch. As I pored over their website, my heart began to lift. The more I read, the more I felt we were on the way again. I shot off an email to Helmut, and again, within minutes I had an answer. (Says something about the time difference . . . evening for me, morning 'over there'. Oh, and how lucky that we can converse in English!) And not just any answer. A long & detailed review of how Animals First can help us, their experience & their expertise, and the fact that Helmut is trained & licensed in all the protocol for transporting animals, and of working with officialdom, particularly quarantine - well, can you hear my sighs of relief? The MOST exciting aspect of all, however, was yet to unfold. I still had concerns about transit stops. Helmut told me the flight that Enzo would take was direct from Vienna, Austria to Melbourne, Australia. He did not, however, clarify if any transit touchdowns occurred. So last night, I wrote again . . . I needed absolute certainty. This morning, my answer. Non-stop direct Vienna to Melbourne, same airecraft all the way! Yippppppeeeeeeeeee!!! Photograph courtesy of Simona Mikulikova So there we are, folks. The way is paved - I could almost say with gold. But certainly with black-and-tan silk. Which leads me to the next stage of exciting news. JACKIE McGUINNESS & ANNIE, MR. MAC, MAHRI & ELLIE: I can't wait (jumping up & down)! I want to hear more good news, and Happy Dances from The Wild Bunch LIBBY KARIER& MOLLY: We are Happy Dancing here in Chicago. First, to know that you appear to be fully recovered; and second, that Enzo's path seems so clear. But no fair, keeping us in suspense!! We want to read it all. YVONNE MURGATROYD: I am so very pleased to hear about Enzo, and that he will be home fairly soon. Thank you, Sue, from all of us here in South Africa; you have done a great deal of work for this guy. Do keep us up to date. DALE LaMACCHIA: Sue, I have been following your story of Enzo. Sounds like you finally have his transport arranged. Great, and good luck.

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