Just as he was starting to look good, and after a period in a foster home, Harry was hit by Lymphoma, a cancer that attacks the Lymph Glands and also took my Shak away that lead to all of this. Having battled back from the brink at least once before, his body couldn't fight this battle and we had to say goodbye.
Harry was an amazing character, anybody that met him will remember that bark, and he had this manner that you just knew he thought he owned the place. He was nicknamed King Harry by foster Dad Mike, and I guess that was about right.
Above is how he was when he left us, below is how he was when he came. I think it is clear to see he enjoyed his time with us, we certainly enjoyed having him.
And some thoughts from just after he died from his Foster Mam Karen.....
This has been some week for Shak and a week from hell for me and Mike, I still cant believe that our King Harry is gone, whats worse is that I was away with work and never got to say good bye - but like Steve has said Harry was with his daddy Mike who he simply adored. I thought it would be good to tell you some of the Harry tales we have to make us smile now hes gone to rainbow bridge. As I have said Harry adored Mike and I often used to get up and find them having their ritual boys time in the early hours of the morning - where Harry acquired his taste for an early morning coffee. This little dog who came into our lives as a mere skeleton and showed nothing but determination to get well has left a mark on us which will never go away. Photo shy when the camera came out, barking to let me know that he really didn't want his photo taken. He really did think he was the boss man. I remember the first morning he took himself off to the garden on his own with me chasing to catch up he gave me the Harry sideways glance back over his shoulder as though to say come on hurry up woman !! It was a joy to see him bounce along - when he arrived all he could do was wobble along at a very slow pace. I remember mike being ecstatic when he shook for the first time and he actually had flesh on his bones to shake ! We were very lucky to have had Harry in our lives even if only for a very short time, and although not the happy ending we wanted for him we can take comfort in knowing that Harry discovered that people did love him as all the gang and many of the people following his story did ... I have a picture in my head after this week of Harry and gunnar arriving at Rainbow Bridge and him telling everyone ' Hey I am the boss and this is my bouncer and the two of them running the show up there. Good bye our sweet little soldier brave to the end ... you are gone but will never never be forgotten see you at rainbow bridge. Love mammy and daddy xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx