Saving Harry

One afternoon, a very good friend of mine sent me a video of a puppy who had been living on the streets. The poor little guy had been taken in by a kind-hearted community carer who noticed he had an issue with his front paws. One was floppy, almost like jelly, making it impossible for him to walk on it, and the second paw seemed to be heading in the same unfortunate direction. My friend asked me if I thought it could be rickets, and I responded that it certainly looked that way and suggested he should see a vet.

The vet confirmed our fears and diagnosed the puppy with rickets. He prescribed some vitamin D for little Harry and discharged him back into the care of the community carer.

Harry’s journey to a better life began when he joined the Dog Desk Animal Action pack. His community carer, a compassionate woman who juggled her full-time job, household duties, and personal responsibilities while still finding time to aid dogs in distress was unable to keep him long-term. This was due to the number of dogs she was already looking after, it wasn’t feasible for Harry to stay with her long-term. During her work hours, she had to arrange for a dog sitter to watch over the dogs, a solution that was not sustainable.

Recognizing the situation, we offered our assistance, which she graciously accepted. One of our first actions was to remove the tight pink bandage Harry had been wearing. Our consultant vet agreed with this decision, questioning the necessity of the bandage in the first place. Once that was resolved, we arranged for Harry to be transferred to our vet in Ankara. There, he would receive vaccinations, a microchip, and a passport in compliance with requirements. Harry had officially transitioned from being a stray to being a part of our family.

A few days later disaster struck. Harry had parvovirus

Harry's situation quickly became a source of concern for everyone involved. The discovery of parvovirus was devastating, knowing the severity of the illness and its impact on young dogs. Our fears grew as we realized the battle Harry was about to face. Despite the grim diagnosis, we remained hopeful and dedicated to his care. With supportive treatment and vigilant monitoring, we hoped to give him the best chance at overcoming this disease. Our hearts were heavy, but we knew Harry's strength and spirit could help him pull through.

And, it did!

A little while later, he was well enough to transfer to our Ankara vet with his good friend Sean. Sean's life was under threat for chewing a slipper. His angry owner was going to shoot him for it, so we took him under our protection.

Harry started the requirements of vaccination, microchipping, and passport preparation, but during this time, he had another setback. He developed mange localized to one eye and the tops of his front legs. Our vet quickly cleared that up for him, ensuring he was comfortable and ready for the next steps in his journey.

Time passed, and Harry found himself ready to embark on a new chapter in his life, his journey to a new home, where one of the most compassionate caretakers in all of Turkey awaited him.

Naturally, Harry felt a bit apprehensive at first, but it wasn't long before his outstanding dog manners shone through. As he met the other dogs, his friendly nature came to the fore, and he quickly made new friends. At last, Harry was free from danger, nestled in a place brimming with joy and safety.

Life with stray dogs is not always an easy ride. Just when everything was going really well for Harry, we received a call from his caregiver. Harry had a runny nose and wasn't walking properly. Although he had been tested for distemper before, and it came back negative, we decided to send him to our vet in that district for further evaluation. We asked for an ELISA test to confirm distemper. To our horror, the results returned positive.

Initially, Harry couldn't stand at all, having entered the neurological phase of his illness. However, seeing him start to eat without showing any signs of tics rekindled our hope.

With time, Harry gradually regained his strength, and soon he was not just walking, but thriving once again.

He had overcome distemper, a feat that seemed challenging at first, but his recovery was a testament to his incredible resilience.

Harry's journey is reaching its final chapter, where the ultimate goal is to secure a loving forever home. Unfortunately, the possibility of this happening in his home country is slim due to current restrictions and bans on adoptions in Turkey. Although our focus has always been on finding solutions within the country of origin, the current circumstances mean that Harry, much like Jonny before him, will likely need to make his way to the UK. Love knows no borders, and no dog should be denied the chance of a loving, stable life simply because of their birthplace.

Thank you very much for reading about Harry, it means the world to us. If you could subscribe it would help us so much. There is a free & a paid subscription, both help us so much. Thank you for your consideration

Michelle x