My Life with Andrew Boyle: My pet wallaby Dora ran away from home — a real explorer

"Dora hadn’t always been known by that name but rather earned the term of endearment from the media and public. It had been days since she ran away from home and people were talking about little else."

At Araglin Animal Sanctuary, Andrew Boyle shares a moment with a spirited young parrot perched on his shoulder, its wings beating wildly. Picture Chani Anderson

2019 was full of news stories from the burning of Notre-Dame Cathedral to gruelling Brexit negotiations.

But despite all that was happening in the world, there was one week where our wallaby ‘Dora the Explorer’ dominated headlines. Granted, it was July and the height of silly season.