Loving Animals
Some years ago I saw two men deal with an angry boar that was trying to kill them.
The savagery and brute strength of the animal, its agility, its speed and its outraged squeals were terrifying. They manoeuvred the boar into a pen using only a wooden pallet. I had climbed on a high wall out of danger.
Animals feature in Snuff O’Brien’s Private War. They don’t play a major role other than the dog and the donkey at the start of the book and the rats at the end. The other animals crept in as the story unfolded. It happens when writing a story.

I count four dogs in the book. One is called ‘Feck the Dog’. He is featured on the front of the book.
Then there are two guard dogs trained to kill, silently. The fourth dog is a barking guard dog. He is kidnapped before you meet him.
In addition to the dogs, you will find a donkey called Hercules, two breeding rams, a herd of goats, a stallion, an angry young boar, and several horses, not to mention chickens, geese and sewer rats.
Feck the Dog and Hercules the donkey play a key part in the opening chapters of the book. You will read for yourself how critical a role the rats play towards the end of the book.
The way the angry young boar is dealt with after he is unloaded from the bishop’s ship is not normal procedure these days. The method described to control him is not one I would advocate, unless you know what you are doing, or you might find yourself dead or seriously injured.
Welcome to the world of Snuff O’Brien. He was at peace there until people came and attacked the animals in his world.
That was a step too far.
Someone will work through the book counting the animals to see if my numbers are accurate. Any corrections will be welcome.