Arabic version: كلبة إنقاذ ساعدت ابنة على فهم خرف والدتها

According to The Guardian, writer Carrie Tiffany’s mother adopted Sally, an ageing German shepherd, in winter 2020 as her dementia worsened and pandemic border restrictions kept Tiffany from travelling to Perth.

Tiffany’s mother had wanted a dog for years after retiring early and becoming isolated from her adult children and grandchildren. Her stepfather eventually built a high fence and solar-powered electronic gate before they travelled several hours to collect Sally, a rescue dog believed to be 10 or 11 years old. Sally had been released from a farm because she could no longer jump into the back of a ute.

Shortly after Sally arrived, Tiffany’s mother described the German shepherd as “a little yellow puppy”. Tiffany later learned that her stepfather had delayed telling her and her brother about their mother’s diagnosis. Western Australia’s border closed in March 2020 and remained shut for two years, preventing a family visit.

As telephone conversations became harder, Tiffany and her mother largely spoke about Sally. Her mother said the dog stole from her, told lies about her, was 55 years old, drove a Cortina and had a new job. Tiffany used these accounts to try to understand her mother’s emotional state. Her stepfather also became her mother’s main carer, missing heart-specialist appointments as her condition grew more difficult to manage.

Tiffany reached Perth in March 2022, a day after the border reopened. Her stepfather had suffered a serious heart attack days earlier after calling an ambulance using the dementia phone worn by Tiffany’s mother. They were admitted to separate hospitals and both died within weeks. A neighbour took Sally in, and Tiffany later met the dog, thanking her after a day of hospital visits.