10 AUGUST 2002, Page 25

Pet grievance

From Elizabeth Foss

Sir: Grandparents may be lumbered with grandchildren ('Where have all the grannies gone?', 3 August), but even worse, here in Australia, are grown-up children who decide to take that 'last chance' and hop off to Europe for six or eight months, leaving us with their pets. No worries, Mum and Dad will be happy to take care of Fido and Fluffy; they'll be company for them now that it is just the two of them at home.

Not so; instead of hopping on a plane for a long weekend in Queensland during the winter, we now have to arrange for someone to feed the animals, or spend serious money and time taking and picking them up from the nearest kennels and cattery,

Liz Foss

G lenhrook, Australia