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HARVEY
Hi Everyone,
My name is Harvey Duncan and I am 16 months old. Harvey was not my first name, I used to be known as Bertie, and well that’s what the staff at Barnes Hill RSPCA Centre in Birmingham called me (http://barneshill.animal-shelter.org.uk/).
It was Easter Sunday and I was waking up to my first day in a big metal cage. I was sharing the kennel with a “spit-the-dog”. I was thinking to myself, here am I, 6 months old and already homeless. I used to have a home but not one that I was allowed to live in. I spent the first six months of my life living in the back garden. Those early months were horrible as it was over the winter months (I think I was born in October 2003).
I was underweight and very thin; this did not help me as the cold felt worse. On top of all this there was the matter of the little friend I had growing on my right foreleg just above the elbow. I heard people call it a cyst; I had to continually lick it to keep it reasonably clean although it was beginning to smell a bit and did not taste nice.
Anyway, that’s enough of my sob story. It’s about 11 o clock on Easter Sunday morning and these people came round looking at all the animals. The man and the girl came and said “Hello” and then went on. The lady stayed and started talking to me. I decided to chance my luck and took hold of her paw with my paws. She felt warm and spoke quietly to me. What the hell, go for it boy and give her those big soppy doggy eyes. Don’t pick your head up too high, and try not to be over enthusiastic.
The man and girl came back and got the lady to walk away to look at other animals. Ah well, you can but try, and so I was just about to get my head down when suddenly the nice lady appears again. Back came the man and girl and once again they’re off. I can see them through the gaps in the other cages, looking at rabbits; chickens and little furry rat like things I think are called dinghy pigs!
Next thing I know, I’m being dragged out of my cage and going for a walk. Blimey, it’s those people again. This time they take me onto the grass area and let me look at the rabbits, chickens and things. One of the kennel girls brings this old cat over and sits it in front of me; I have a sniff and sit down myself. Off we go again and I’m put back with spit-the-dog. Once again into my cage, hope this isn’t going to be the pattern for the rest of my life.
Lots of people come and go, I’ve never met so many different people, and they all look and leave. This is the pattern for the next week or so. Wake up, eat, sleep and look at more of the humans in between walks around the field every day.
It’s the 15th of April, don’t ask me how I know, I just know alright! Anyway, one of the kennel girls comes to my pad and hooks me to a piece of rope. Hey, where are we going, we don’t usually go this way? I start thinking of all the things I may or may not have done recently. Why are they taking me to the office? I go in and guess what; it’s the nice lady and man I met when I first arrived here! They’re all talking about me, the man takes a thing off the wall and puts it around my neck, he tells me its my new collar, Attached to the collar is a matching long piece of something I later learn is a lead.. Off we go and I’m put in the back of a big metal thing that speeds along without me moving my legs. I can’t stop still, there is so much to see whizzing past.
Eventually we all get out of the car (I know it’s called a car now) and I’m led into a really nice kennel the humans call home. The home has a long room which I can run up and down in - no bars. One minute they’re telling me to run, the next, calm down. Calm down, no way! I’ve been waiting for this moment for weeks. I’m given the royal tour of the house and then come even more surprises. Through the back door and out into the garden, its great, lots of room to race around like a mad dog.
There is a great big puddle in the middle of the grass, tastes a bit funny, it’s got some big fish. Lots of grass area for me to do my Springer thing on, you know the thing, run around with whatever you can find lying about, and leave other things in their place.
I meet a young man who insists on calling me Stinky; he lives here with me and the rest of the family. I have great fun with the family – they like to chase me when I pick up the small things they wear on their feet and the funny, frilly things they wear. They enjoy it even more if I run up and down the garden with my ill gotten gains when the neighbours are out. Lots of screams and hoping the neighbours aren’t about to see me running around with these frilly things in my mouth, oh what fun.
My little friend is still on my leg and he is getting bigger and smellier as the days go by. Apparently I am too thin to have an anaesthetic, this means Mum and Dad have to feed me lots of lovely food to build my strength up. At least the nice lady is washing my bedding every day. It’s about 4/5 weeks since coming here and my new man friend takes me for a ride in the car again. This time he takes me to a man called Localvet. Oh no, now they don’t want me. Hold on, I’ve never been in this room before. I say goodbye to the man I have come to know as Dad and try once again to work out what I’ve done wrong this time.
A different group of people are now looking after me; they are all wearing green clothing and wearing masks over their noses and mouths. Do I smell that bad? Anyway, I feel a little prick, (not for the first time). One minute I’m looking at this masked being, the next I’m waking up feeling a bit groggy and Dad is putting me back in the car thing. There is a bandage on my foreleg and it itches a lot. I try my best to get at the cause of all this discomfort. Eventually, after a trip back to Mr Localvet, I leave with my bandages removed and a feeling of loss, Where is my little friend and helper I used to share my foreleg with, I’m not sure if I miss him, Anyway its one less thing to worry about, hope he’s gone to a nice home (not).
During my time at the new home I’ve been to the seaside where I love to chase the fluffy white things up and down the beach. I went to St Andrews in Scotland and had a great time on the beaches with all the other people and dogs.
I have lots of different toys and we have great fun lining them up and I having to identify the toy Dad asks me fetch. I now know and can identify the following toys:
Teddy (used to be Nikki’s favourite) Toy – a lump of plastic attached to rope for throwing Balls – numerous and different colours/sizes Rings – plastic and rope Treat Ball – great fun this one, play and eat at the same time Quack Quack – actually a stuffed bright pink flamingo Piggy – unfortunately I decided to carry out my own surgical procedure on this one and ended up loosing him due to weight loss Dog chews, bones etc.
Dad and Mum keep bringing me dried up pigs ears, but I refuse to wear them, I’ve found that if I crunch them up and eat them quickly they don’t miss them. When I first came to this house I was very nervous and would hide in corners. Apparently I did not know what to do with a ball or any toy. I think they are making this up, this can’t be me. Anyway, I have been testing out where to lie down and I think I have found two of my best places, take a look, comfortable eh.
My house is close to an area called Sandwell Valley; it includes an RSPB bird sanctuary with a large lake and paths to walk round. Further along the valley is another lake, this one is used by birds and sailing boats, again with paths. The paths form part of the National Cycle Routes, this one is No 5. We see lots of dogs, horses and cyclists. Walking still further on we come to a wooded area with 3 smaller lakes and yet more birds. The total distance is about 12 miles, of which I run and walk about 30 miles of them????
This is me enjoying a quick dip in one of the lakes on Sandwell Valley Nature Reserve
Apparently I am a typical English Springer Spaniel Thingy; I love to run around in water and muck, the dirtier the better.
Don’t worry, you know you like me to get dirty, otherwise you wouldn’t have to bath me 3 times a week
This is a picture of me and one of my friends, his name is Ben, I call him Big Ben!
I have learnt such a lot since living here. I know words Mum and Dad use for everyday things such as apple, grape and the names of all my toys. I used to be shut in the kitchen when Mum went to work for the afternoon, four days a week. It was only for a few hours until Dad comes home. You’ll never guess what I found out all by my self. The wooden things they call doors have shiny things on them and if I stand on my back legs, I can pull the shiny thing down and if I push or pull, the door opens, and I can go wherever I like!
I am so happy here; Mummy tells me I’m her little boy and how much she loves me. I tell her the same in my own way. Daddy tells me the same things but only when he thinks other people aren’t listening (they’ve heard him).
Recently, Mummy has been spending rather a lot of time on the Chomchuter thing. They keep mentioning English Springer Spaniel Rescue and companionship. I’ve found out today that I’m no longer going to be left on my own with nothing but the telly to watch. We are going to be joined by a lovely dog and she is going to be my little sister and friend. Bath times are going to be great fun; I can’t wait to see how we’re both going to fit in the bath.
Nearly forgot to mention, I have another friend called Molly. She is a cat and every now and then she likes me to chase her into the garden or up the stairs. Other times she just sits there and moans and groans until I go away. Apart from eat, all she ever does is sleep, how boring.
Well, I think I’ve howled on for long enough for now, see you all again soon
Love HARVEY
February 2005
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