Here's the last fortnightly story for 2009 as voted on our website - 4 December 2009

The blackbird family

This is a sad story about a family of blackbirds. We came home one day to find a pair of blackbirds flying around our house chirping and when we came into the house they seemed to want to follow us in. They came surprisingly close to us, still chirping.

That night my cat was under the bed and I heard a sharp screech. When I looked, I found a baby blackbird, nearly fully grown, which our cat had obviously brought inside. She didn't seem to be hurt but I didn't know how long she had been there and I knew that if she didn't eat before morning she would surely die overnight from stress and hunger. I tried to feed her but as she was nearly fully grown, and since it was already dark she wouldn't eat. In the end I decided to shut our cat inside and put her back outside.

When I came out the next morning she was dead, and that's when I realised that the birds who seemed to want to come into the house were her parents. They were flying round and round the house, chirping for her to come. They had obviously seen our cat bring her in through the cat door and thought she was still inside.

They did this for the next four mornings, and sometimes during the day, calling to their poor dead baby. It was heart wrenching. I thought that it was amazing that they knew where their baby had gone, and didn't give up on her for what, in bird terms, must be quite a long time.

True story by Gina Sturkenboom of New Zealand

1. Christmas Stories from Smarter than Jack

Three of the Christmas Stories from SMARTER than JACK were selected by the Pet Magazine of NZ/Australia and published in the Dec - Feb 2009/10 issue. Congratulations to those authors whose stories were selected.

From time to time SMARTER  than JACK  receives requests for stories to be published in magazines or newsletters, and Christmas stories are popular. So, look out for any comical or smart animal situations this coming Christmas and submit them to SMARTER than JACK. Don't forget that photos can be uploaded to illustrate your stories. If we get enough of these stories, we might be able to publish a special SMARTER than JACK Christmas stories book for 2010!

We have 5 copies of the Pet Magazine with SMARTER than JACK's Christmas stories to give away for any orders for 4 or more books.

2. The Smarter than Jack office will be closed from 5.00 pm 9 Dec. 2009 till 9.00 am 4 Jan. 2010. Accordingly, please ensure that all Christmas orders are submitted before 9 December. All orders received after this date will be held and processed after 4 January 2010.

We would like to take this opportunity to say a big 'Thank You' to all our supporters for the stories you have written and the books that you have bought from us this year. Thank you so much for helping to connect with animal lovers all over the world. We have really enjoyed working with you. Last but not least, a very Happy Christmas and New Year!