THE owner of a rottweiler that won an award for showing the breed in a positive light is mourning the loss of her pet.

Amanda Hawes, of Newlands Lane, Stoke Row, said she couldn’t replace eight-year-old Klara, who died after falling seriously ill in October.

During an exploratory operation, a vet discovered a rupture where Klara’s stomach joined the small intestine and said it was inoperable.

Mrs Hawes said she was “heartbroken and in shock” but told the vet not to let Klara wake up from the anaesthetic.

The dog was buried in Cambridge Pet Crematorium with a fluffy octopus, one of her favourite toys.

Mrs Hawes, who adopted Klara after her previous rottweiler Tia died, said: “No dog can replace Klara, just as Klara could not replace Tia. I have visits from Klara’s spirit, as I did when Tia died, which help with the healing process tremendously but right now, emotions are still quite raw.

“Time is needed to come to terms with the loss of Klara, my Lassie in a rottweiler jacket.”

In April, Klara was awarded the Rottweiler Club’s personality of the year trophy after a picture of her and Mrs Hawes’ husband Nick was said to symbolise the breed as being just like any other dog.

Following the award, the Rottweiler Welfare Association, from whom Klara was adopted in August 2009, decided to make her their first ever “dog of the year”.

The award is now open annually to all dogs adopted from the association.

Mrs Hawes said: “It gently tugs at my heart strings with pride when I think that this is because of Klara. She was very big for a female rottweiler, with quite stunning looks. Measuring just over 26in at the shoulder, she had the sweetest temperament and loved everybody. We gave Klara the pet name the Honey Monster because of her size, gentleness and love of honey.”

Mrs Hawes adopted Klara from the association in August 2009 after she had been brought in following the divorce of her owners.

At first she was frightened of deer and seemed scared to let her new owners out of her sight.

Mrs Hawes said their bond deepened and Klara would wake her up in the middle of the night if she realised her owner was having a nightmare.

In February last year, the dog helped her stand up after injuring herself in a fall outside her home.

Klara is featured on the front page of the association’s 2013 calendar.

Published 01/02/13