Thousands of women have found themselves in similar situations

When I got married, my sister gave me a Jack Russell as a wedding present. She knew I'd always wanted one, and a friend of hers was a breeder. The one I got was a bitch, the runt of the litter, and she had a lovely nature.

When we got back from honeymoon, my husband seemed to take a dislike to Suzie. He didn't like me taking her out for her night-time walk, because he said it wasn't safe for a woman to be out on her own at that time of night, so he would take her.

At first, Suzie lived in the house with us. She didn't sleep in our room or anything and she wasn't allowed in the kitchen when we were eating. But my husband didn't like her being in the lounge because he said she might have fleas which would lay eggs in the carpet.

The other problem was that Suzie used to bark and wag her tail when I went through in the morning, and the same when I came home from work. She was obviously glad to see me.

'Hit by car'

But when my husband came home, she just went on sleeping or eating, or whatever she was doing. He got really angry at that, and he said that in future he would feed her, because she'd soon learn not to ignore him.

After a few months, my husband said Suzie was old enough to live in a kennel and he bought one and put it in the garden. After that she wasn't allowed in the house any more.

We were quarrelling a lot about other things. My working hours had changed, and my husband said it was no use that I wasn't home in the late afternoon at the same time as him because it meant we weren't eating together.

He was also jealous that I could take Suzie for a longer walk in the morning after he had gone to work - he said that between us we were spending more time with the dog than we were with each other.

I'm sure the only reason he hated Suzie was because she was mine - and he killed her because he was angry with me Jean

Eventually, we agreed that I would take her for her long walk in the morning and at night she wouldn't get another walk.

It was just as well, because by that time Suzie growled every time my husband went near her.

I got a new job, so I'd be working the same hours as he was. Also, his work was nearer mine than before, so we didn't have to go in separate cars.

Then, my new work wanted me to go on a course which was being held at a hotel in London. The first time it was being held, I had to cancel, because it turned out my husband had booked a surprise weekend away for us that weekend.

The next time, he sprained his ankle so badly he couldn't drive. But the third time I managed to go.

When I got home, my husband was in an awful state. He was literally in tears, and I had to cuddle him and comfort him for at least 10 minutes before he could even speak.

He told me Suzie was dead. He had taken her out for a walk, and she ran out in the road in front of a car. She hadn't a chance.

The driver didn't see her in time, and although my husband got her to the vet right away she was bleeding internally and had to be put down.

Badly injured

It wasn't until 15 years, two children and a divorce later that I had any idea of what had really happened.

I had moved away with the children because my husband had made my life so unpleasant when I was with him that I couldn't bear to be anywhere near him, and when we still lived in the same town he used to walk his dogs past my house every morning, every evening, and every weekend.

One day, I met a woman who had lived next door to us when I was married, and we got talking. She said there was something she had never told me because she thought I had enough to cope with.

She said she had heard Alan shouting and Suzie barking and growling. Then Suzie was whining. She looked out of the window just in time to see Suzie run out of the garden gate and straight in front of a car.

Alan was close behind her, and he was swinging his cricket bat at her. When the car hit her, Alan threw the bat over the hedge. He was shouting at the car driver, but eventually calmed down.

She was certain that Suzie had been badly injured before the car hit her.

Alan likes dogs. We never had another, but as soon as I left him, he got two litter sisters, and the children tell me he now has three.

I'm sure the only reason he hated Suzie was because she was mine. And he killed her because he was angry with me.

I can't forgive him for killing Suzie.