Vets told Princess’ owners, Pat and Les Lees of Nabiac, that Princess only had two to three months to live. But, as Pat remarked, “that was two years and four months ago!”.

Princess, a Chihuahua, is 13-years-old, which in human years is about 65 years. Her owners Pat and Les, who have seven grandchildren and one great grandchild, treat Princess and their other two dogs like children.

Pat has “always had animals” and believes that if you have a pet, it should be treated properly. That’s why Pat and Les had no issue in spending $4000 to partially remove a cancer that was found in the top of Princess’ nose.

In fact, Princess’ condition was so specialised, that she went to the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, “like a human”, as Pat quipped.

Pat and Les spend “$80 a month on four different types of medication: one for epilepsy, two for cancer and one for cardiomyothopy, which is an enlarged heart”.

The couple love their dogs so much that they only have two rules: “no sleeping on the beds, and no eating from the crockery”. If the dogs go on the garden Pat politely asks them to “come off the garden please”.

The longest Pat and Les have been without a canine companion is two months. When they thought that they may lose Princess in the operation, they bought a statue of a Chihuahua, which stands proudly by the front door, a mini replica of Princess.

Pat, even “thought of taking [Princess] to a taxidermist”.

It’s not only Princess who has medical problems, Les and Pat’s other dog, Gee-Shar, a 15-year-old fox terrier cross, is almost completely deaf and suffers from canine dementia as well as Cushing’s disease, which means that she has “too much testosterone”.

Every time the Lees go to the vet they spend about $100, not to mention the rest of the money on operations and medication.

However, Pat recommends that people should “ask for alternatives” even when the vet says there are no other options.

Pat and Les decided to only have female dogs, after their dog Cheeky. Cheeky lived up to his name, barking at larger dogs and destroying their water heater after “cocking his leg” as well as doing the same on her bedspread.