Izzie’s Possum Picnic

Once upon a time, in the quiet seaside town of Omokoroa, there lived a very pampered poodle named Izzie. Her fur was groomed to perfection, and smelt of sweet pea and pomegranate. To anyone watching, she was the picture of elegance. But behind those dark, clever eyes, Izzie carried a secret—she had an appetite for mischief.

One sunny afternoon, while her owners strolled along the path, Izzie’s nose twitched. Something peculiar wafted through the air. She tugged at her lead, stronger and stronger, until—snap!—she broke free. Off she darted, paws pattering down a grassy slope, straight into a shadowy gully.

There, hidden among ferns and fallen branches, lay the most dreadful pungent treasure: the limp body of a decaying dead possum. To a proper poodle, this should have been revolting. But to naughty Izzie, it smelt like the most delicious feast. Without hesitation, she gobbled, ripped and chewed, ignoring the horrified cries of her owners. It took the clever game plan of using another dog to track the possum scent, for her worried owners to find her. After almost an hour of feasting, Izzie was about done anyway (and she no longer smelt of sweet pea and pomegranate).

By evening, poor Izzie felt quite ill. At Omokoroa Pet Vets, the kindly doctors took an x-ray of her tummy. The whole room gasped! For there, glowing on the screen, was the unmistakable bony wave from a possum paw.

It wasn’t going to pass on it’s own. Izzie needed emergency surgery. That very night, brave Dr Nick and Dr Raewyn worked under the bright theatre lights. With careful hands, they opened Izzie’s tummy and removed the grizzly prize. Out came fur, muscle, tendons and bones until the sharp little claw, still reaching as though it meant to grab something. Instead of discarding it, the vets preserved it in formaline and placed it high upon their “Shelf of Oddities,” where strange and curious finds from previous patients were displayed.

As for Izzie? She awoke the next morning wagging her tail, as bouncy and cheeky as ever. Her owners hugged her tight, relieved she was safe. But even as she trotted out of the clinic, her eyes gleamed with mischief. Somewhere out there was another forbidden snack waiting to be discovered…

And so, elegant little Izzie the poodle continues her adventures—equal parts posh and perilous!