Off to Islamabad

No, not us – a small Macedonian dog named Kikiriki (“Peanuts”) who we’ve been caretaking for the last four months. Her owners, our dear friends J and M who previously served in Canberra, made it to their onward assignment in Pakistan and sent for her. So on the morning of September 11, we gave Keeks our typical Foreign Service goodbye: “See you on the other side somewhere!”

It took almost four months for J and M to do their home leave, onward consultations, get to Pakistan, set up their house, and get all the bureaucracy in order for Kiki to join them. In the meantime, at our place there were naps…

…and walks…

…and more naps…

…and sadly for Keeks, some baths…

…and then some more naps!

She even became a social media star at the embassy! #diplodog

She was great to have around, and it’s kind of sad now that we are missing our furry friend when we come home.

But having a dog is also a big responsibility. Aside from food and vet and dogsitting or kenneling expenses, the accidents in the house, the time and energy to walk and exercise the dog properly, and the extraordinary cost and bureaucracy and stress of moving your dog to a different country every 2-3 years can be a non-starter for some. It can cost thousands of dollars to kennel a dog between overseas tours, and thousands more to import a pet into many countries (if they even let you).

But friends that become your Foreign Service family can step up and help when you need it.

Time will tell whether we decide to get a dog. We haven’t had any pets since 2008, when our last fish died. (Except, of course, for our desert tortoises in Tashkent who lived outside.) And that has suited us just fine.

But finding out that Kiki made it safely to Sydney, and then Dubai (above), and finally to Islamabad (below) warmed my risk-averse heart, at least a little.

Happy trails Keeks. See you someday in the future!