The following is an extract from Chapter 13 of Ray’s book “Who Said I was up for Adoption?” which covers a battle of wits between Ray and us!

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Not having had any prior need to transport an animal, one of our initial dilemmas with Ray was simply how to take him anywhere when car travel was involved. He would have to go to a vet for an initial examination, and we would want to take him outside our area to different parks. Our immediate decision, not considering this a particularly difficult situation to resolve, was simply to put him in the back of the SUV. The space between the back of the rear seats and the rear door was not particularly large but that would simply restrict any activity on Ray’s part, which would probably be a good thing. Remembering how well he traveled when we brought him home, it was an obvious choice. Well, the theory seemed good!

Ray made it known, quite vocally, on a number of occasions that he would prefer to be sitting with us and eventually decided that, as we were clearly not getting the message, he would accelerate things by climbing over the top of the rear seats to join us. Our solution was quite simple. We would let him use the rear seats in order to be close to us and attach his harness to a seat belt. Well, the theory seemed good!

A very short time into a drive, and after hearing some distinct sounds of movement from behind us, Ray appeared between us. The front part of his body was laying on the centre console as he looked up at us (with, I am sure, a triumphant glint in his eyes), and so to the very back of the vehicle he went! Given those experiences, we clearly had to get a metal grill to fit between the floor and the roof so that he could not come and see us whenever he wanted to. Well, the theory seemed good!

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You will have to read the book*** to see how this issue develops, but the above really is the proverbial “tip of the iceberg” as Ray goes to extraordinary lengths to get his way!

*** See book cover over to the right for link to further information.