By John Percival
March 9 2020, 10.20
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Miss Darcy, a Cockapoo from Fulham, had her birthday party cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak.
Dog blogger May Wong planned to spend Miss Darcy’s ninth birthday on Tuesday celebrating with her pet.
However, the pair were separated on the special day after Miss Wong returned from a holiday in Japan and had to enter a ten-day self quarantine.
Although Miss Wong, 60, an interior designer from Chelsea, is showing no symptoms of the disease, the UK government is advising anyone returning to the country from coronavirus hotspots to self-isolate.
Sadly for Miss Darcy, an afternoon tea party at No. Fifty Cheyne, a dog-friendly restaurant and cocktail bar in Chelsea, had to be cancelled as her owner could no longer attend .
The tea party, complete with tea cakes and dog treats, had been in the diary for months, with ten other cockapoos due to attend.
Miss Wong has decided to donate the funds that would have been spent on the birthday party to less fortunate dogs.
Homeless dog Tia has been in the care of the Dog’s Trust for 800 days, but will now be sponsored by Miss Wong.
Miss Wong said: “Instead of spending the money on the party, let’s contribute towards Tia’s care.”
Miss Wong has supported the Dogs Trust since sponsoring the appropriately named Mr Darcy while he was waiting to be rehomed.
Although Miss Wong was unable to be with her pet on Tuesday, it was not all bad news for Miss Darcy.
The House of Mutt, a £45 pound per night bespoke dog hotel in Thetford, came to the rescue, throwing Miss Darcy a party of their own with a dog biscuit cake and balloons provided by Miss Wong.
Miss Wong said Miss Darcy is ‘doing what she really loves, running through the forest and jumping over logs’.
Miss Wong and Miss Darcy will be reunited just in time for the monthly dog-friendly film screenings Miss Wong helps organise at Fulham Road Picturehouse.
She said, “I love going to the movies and so often I wish I could take my dogs with me.”
The first screening was Cats, and while a room full of dogs staring at Cats could have easily been a noisy affair, the dogs all sat peacefully.
The screenings continue on March 15.
Photo credit: The House of Mutt
