Mrs Brown’s Boys star Eilish O’Carroll shared with RSVP Magazine how getting her two and a half year old Maltese-Jack Russell cross Jacko was the best thing she ever did, his funny quirks and how he is treated like her child
"I had always wanted to get a dog but I had put it off because I have to travel so much," she explained. "Then when the pandemic hit, we all thought we may never travel ever again! I decided to get the dog and I’ll cross the travel bridge when I come to it, if I have to go away and work.
"That’s what cemented my decision to get him and it’s the best thing I ever did. He gets me out and about and he’s such a character."
Now, Eilish makes things work with Jacko thanks to her dog minder, as she has been travelling back and forth now that life is back to normal post pandemic.
"I am very fortunate to have a fabulous dog minder," she said. "She lives in east Cork, which isn’t terribly handy but Jacko loves her, he absolutely adores her which is great because he doesn’t feel like he has been abandoned. And she adores him too.
"When I’m away on a short break, she comes up to us and she’ll actually stay in the house with him but for a longer period of time he needs to go down to her. I’ll be away now for a few months and I’ll be home the odd day, but I won’t be able to have Jacko for any length of time. She will have him on and off through November but she is great and he loves it."
Despite the challenges that come with having a pet, Eilish can't help but dote on Jacko.
"There are lots of cons to getting a dog," she said. "You do have to get them taken care of at the vets on a regular basis. It’s not like the old days when people would open the door in the morning, kick the dog out and tell him to go off and then he comes back in at six o’clock. Those days are gone - thankfully!
"But the joy they bring more than makes up for any difficulties that may arise. I never thought I’d be the one saying this, but I couldn’t imagine my life without Jacko. He gets more toys and more money spent on him than my kids ever did! I have to remind myself sometimes that he is a dog, not a child!"