MIJBIL THE OTTER

B EFORE Y OU R EAD Gavin Maxwell lives in a cottage in Camusfearna, in the West Highlands in Scotland. When his dog Jonnie died, Maxwell was too sad to think of keeping a dog again. But life without a pet was lonely... Read what happened then, in Maxwell’s own words.

Activity Do you have a pet? If you do, you perhaps know that a pet is a serious responsibility. Read in the box below what the SPCA — the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals — has to say about how to care for a pet. Owning a pet is a lifetime of commitment (up to ten years or more if you own a dog or a cat) involving considerable responsibility.

The decision to acquire one, therefore, should be made by the whole family. Without full agreement by everyone, the pet could end up unwanted. Puppies and kittens are so adorable, it is easy to understand why adults and children alike would be attracted to them. Unfortunately their cute looks are often a disadvantage, because people purchase them without consideration and the knowledge on how to take proper care of them.

The basic points you should keep in mind before adopting a puppy are: • an annual dog licence in accordance with government regulations • its annual vaccination against major diseases • toilet training • regular grooming and bathing • obedience training • don’t forget you should feed your pet a balanced diet • socialisation (many dogs are kept confined in cages or tied up to stop them from dirtying the garden or from chewing on shoes — this is wrong) is very important • a daily dose of exercise, affection and play. Imagine someone has gifted you a pet. With your partner’s help, make a list of the things you need to know about the pet in order to take good care of it. One has been done for you.

(i) The food it eats. (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) Otters are found in large numbers in the marshes (i.e. wet areas near lakes, rivers or seas) near Basra, a town in Iraq. Imagine you wanted to bring an otter from Iraq to London, as a pet.

What special arrangements would you need to make for your pet otter? You would need to find a place with lots of water, for example. What other points should you think about? The information about Iraq and London given below may help you.

Iraq Iraq has mostly broad plains and marshes along the Iranian border in the south, with large flooded areas. A large part of Iraq’s land area is desert, so it has cool winters and dry, hot and cloudless summers. The mountain areas near Iran and Turkey have cold winters. There is heavy snowfall there, and when the snow melts in spring, it causes floods in central and southern Iraq.

London London has a large population and is a very busy city. In addition to multi- storeyed buildings, however, it has many open spaces or parks. It has a temperate climate (i.e. it is neither very hot, nor very cold), with regular but generally light rainfall or snow throughout the year.

The warmest month is July, and the coolest month is January. February is the driest month. Snow is not very common in London. Reading up on the subject beforehand is another important requirement and will guide you towards being a responsible pet owner.

Selected pet shops and major book stores provide books on the care of various breeds/pets.