Tatt's Amazing! - Shenka's Under My Skin

A dog lover’s special tribute to her pal

- Kylie Hall

Looking down at her right hand, Laura Dunning’s eyes shine with unshed tears. They are not tears of sadness, though, but of remembrance, for her darling Siberian husky and best friend Shenka.

On the ring finger of Laura’s right hand is Shenka’s name, tattooed for permanence. This is no ordinary tattoo, however, as Shenka’s ashes have been incorporated into the ink that was etched into Laura’s finger, and now the two will be forever indelibly linked.

“Shenka was my everything,” recalls Laura fondly. “She was like my firstborn child as I got her when I was 24.”

The red Siberian husky was a constant in Laura’s life. “I miss her when I wake up. I miss her when I go to sleep. I miss her welcome homes and her crazy little quirks. She was always there through my break-ups. I knew her longer than I have known my husband!”

With home in the idyllic countryside village of Otaua, in the Franklin region, the 38-year-old and Shenka used to hit the trails of nearby Waiuku Forest.

Laura, who operates a mobile dog-grooming business, says huskies are generally quite hard work. Their athleticism and intelligence can be quite the challenge for their owners.