One of Australia’s oldest dog Milo dies aged 24 after surviving cyclones and deadly cane toads

Death do us bark: One of Australia’s oldest dogs Milo dies after surviving cyclones and deadly cane toads aged 24 (that’s 168 in dog years)

  • Allan Ruth and Dianne Volpe, from Cairns, QLD, put down Milo on Wednesday 
  • The Jack Russell was rescued by the couple after he suffered abuse as a puppy 
  • He was buried in the couple’s backyard next to his best friend, Holly, a fox terrier 

Queensland’s oldest dog has died aged 24 after surviving cyclones and cane toads. 

Milo was a short-haired Jack Russell whose owners, Allan Ruth and Dianne Volpe, from Redlynch, Queensland, have been left devastated by his death. 

Ms Volpe rescued Milo from an animal shelter after he suffered abuse as a puppy. 

The couple made the tough decision to put Milo down on Wednesday and buried him next to his best friend Holly, a fox terrier, in their garden. 

Milo was a short-haired Jack Russell whose owners, Allan Ruth and Dianne Volpe, from Redlynch, Queensland, have been left devastated by his death 

The couple made the difficult decision to put Milo to sleep because of his old age and general ill health. 

‘I used to say to him every night, mate just go to sleep. I didn’t want to get to this point. He had a good life,’ Ms Volpe told Cairns Post. 

‘He was a really smiley dog … and he’s been part of our family for all those years.’ 

As a puppy Milo was tied to a clothesline and left there by his cruel previous owners.  

When he was first adopted by Ms Volpe he was anxious and had become aggressive towards humans due to abuse. 

Milo was going to be put down but Ms Volpe decided to take him home and give him the life he deserved. 

The couple made the difficult decision to put Milo to sleep because of his old age and general ill health

The couple made the difficult decision to put Milo to sleep because of his old age and general ill health 

But after a while, the previously cautious dog started to show his mischievous and loving side. 

Milo would regularly escape Ms Volpe’s previous home in Innisfail and run to a local swimming pool where he knew people would be hosting a barbecue so he could score some free food. 

His timid nature would still appear from time-to-time and he was especially terrified of storms. 

During cyclones Larry and Yasi, Milo ran away from home on two separate occasions but was later found just up the road by his owners. 

The couple later moved to Redlynch where Mr Ruth said he had a fantastic time.  

‘He loved it here. He used to chew toads and get high off them and go crazy,’ Mr Ruth said.  

Jack Russells have an average lifespan of about 15 to 16 years of age.  

Ms Volpe said the reason why Milo lived so long was that she only fed him home-cooked meals of meat, rice and vegetables. 

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