Chris Packham has revealed his wish to be cremated and have his ashes mixed with those of his late poodles, Itchy and Scratchy, before being scattered in a woodland. The naturalist told the Radio Times that his dogs helped him through periods of depression, describing their bond as 'three organisms umbilically linked' with a shared personality.
'Itchy and Scratchy were there in my darkest moments – if they hadn’t been, I wouldn’t be here to write this,' said Packham. 'When I die, I’ll be cremated and my ashes will be mixed with Itchy and Scratchy, and scattered by a particular tree. My ashes will become part of the soil. I’ll become part of the fabric of my dogs, and of the woods that we loved so much.'
The 60-year-old Springwatch presenter said his devotion to the dogs was partly driven by fear of losing them, after his previous dog Fish was run over. When Itchy and Scratchy fell ill, he chose to have them euthanised to prevent suffering. Packham also spoke of his childhood exploring fields near Southampton and early morning walks with his father, though he admitted differences over punk music and politics caused friction with his parents.
Packham now owns miniature poodles Sid and Nancy, acquired weeks after the deaths of Itchy and Scratchy. He said it took time to bond with them, but they have found a place in his heart, though the loss of his previous dogs remains painful. 'I bond to them more tightly than I do people. Though Sid and Nancy have found a new place in my heart, the hole left by Itchy and Scratchy is still there. It’s quite hard to talk about,' he added.
