Daisy the Jack Russell, whose pub bell-ringing talent brought her international fame, has died, her owners have said.
Daisy had been letting pub regulars know when it was last orders at The Three Tuns in Bristol by leaping out of her basket and on to the bar, where she balanced on her hind legs and rung the bell.
Two-year-old Daisy’s owner, landlord Ned Clarke, 28, said the decision to put her down was “the hardest decision” of his life.
On November 11 – Mr Clarke’s birthday – he had to make the decision to let Daisy go when he found out she had been suffering from lymphoma – a type of cancer.
Mr Clarke, who had owned Daisy since she was a puppy, said: “It’s been crushing and almost beyond words.”
Mr Clarke said he first noticed something wrong in October when they were moving pubs, and took Daisy to the vet, who believed her weight loss could be down to worms.
It was not until just before Mr Clarke and his wife Natalie were about to go on holiday to Bruges, in Belgium, that Daisy became really ill. “Her behaviour had changed and I could tell she was down in the dumps,” he said.
Daisy was left in the safe hands of a close friend, but soon after arriving in Bruges Mr Clarke received a call saying Daisy was deteriorating. Daisy was taken to Langford Veterinary Services, which has a small animal research facility, and a vet contacted Mr Clarke, telling him that Daisy had lymphoma.
Daisy was put down on November 13 after Mr Clarke returned from Bruges. He said he gave her a kiss and a cuddle and said his goodbyes, but could not watch as the vets put her to sleep.
Daisy has been individually cremated and Mr Clarke hopes to spread her ashes on Clifton Downs, where he said she was happiest.
