Mabb was a Staffy cross (I suspect crossed with a Whippet) who arrived as a starving, abused stray in 1997 (she was around 6-8 months old then) She was mute for a year, until finally leaving the fear of her past behind she barked once, then again and finally quite regularly (particularly at postmen) becoming a fully fledged and typically vocal bull terrier.



She lived her life as the unstoppable ball of joy and excitement that she was, and had the rare ability to bring the same happiness to all she met, you couldn't be sad around Mabb, her glee and lust for life was just too infectious. She was a feisty little girl, who happily accepted an ever growing and changing pack, she'd herd and guard all around her, she loved people, we seemed to bring her excessive joy.



She grew old gracefully, charging around on increasingly bandy legs with her best mate Tyla the Jack Russel until a few months ago when her health began to fail - she was diagnosed with a primary brain tumor which had spread to her lungs. Despite all our efforts; the top-notch support of our brilliant vets (Thank you, thank you!) and Mabb's sheer reluctance to fade, her tumor finally sent her into a seizure that she never awoke from (5/12/2009) She died in my arms before the emergency vets even got to see her, and I think she was happier to go that way, she seemed perfectly at peace and looked strangely younger at the end. Typically, Mabb was eating heartily until an hour before her passing, and was still a happy, pain free girl who was managing to get to the garden with fierce determination (forever on cat patrol)



She's safe from the pain and complications that her cancer would have eventually delivered, and she had a joyous and happy life, full of adventures, daring food raids and people that she truly loved, but the World is a darker place now our little star is gone. 



You are loved and grieved in equal measure, your memory will remain forever, and in many hearts, and when the pain fades, the sheer joy of the time spent with you will once more light the gloom and sorrow of your passing.



You've gone to a long deserved rest. Rock on little girl, you truly were a force of nature.