Harriet

Frightened and shut down, the one-year-old Terrier cross was worryingly underweight. She had lots of hair missing on her back, with very dry, sore skin. This was one of the biggest concerns for our Woodgreen Vet team. They got straight to work on investigating the cause, while also giving her a full health check.

After a closer look, it turned out she had an infestation of fleas. For everyone involved in Harriet’s care, it was a welcome relief. It could have been an allergy which left her with life-long health problems. Our Dog team started treating her flea-infested coat with medicated baths to help soothe and repair her skin. But this was not the end of Harriet’s woes. She was still visibly shell-shocked by everything she’d been through, and worryingly underweight. Our team put together a nutritious diet plan (including some tasty treats!) and focused on helping her bounce back emotionally from her ordeal.

Shannon was Harriet’s main carer and remembers just how traumatised Harriet was at this time.

“It was really sad. She was scared of everything, withdrawn and would flinch if you anywhere near her.” – Shannon.

Shannon went above and beyond to make Harriet feel comfortable in her kennel and settle in at Woodgreen. She took things slow with her and provided plenty of opportunities for her to play and interact with other dogs. These moments gave us a saddening insight into just how much Harriet had missed out on in her short life so far. She reacted to a toy we gave her like it was the first time she’d seen one.

While out and about on walks onsite, it was obvious that Harriet absolutely adored other dogs. An encounter with a fellow four-legged friend would always get her tail wagging! Meeting more confident dogs seemed to rub off on her, too. As a way of encouraging this even more, we found her a pair of lovely fosterers, Lucy and Tim, who already had a dog in their home.

“The biggest benefit of fostering for Harriet? Probably meeting the family’s dog, Vera! She taught her how to play and they’d often be found rolling around together in the garden. This was so heart-warming to see!” – Shannon.

The joy she got from spending time with her new canine companion, along with the home comforts that she’d probably never experienced, had given her a taste of how wonderful life could be. After a while, she even started to cuddle up with her fosterers on the sofa! As well as feeling safe and loved, Harriet’s body was now free of fleas and her hair was growing back. Not only that, she’d put on a healthy amount of weight, too.

Harriet’s journey with Woodgreen ended happily when she met the X family during filming of The Dog House. Mum, dad, and their children, Yannick and Lottie had been through a tough period…but it was clear they were going to give her the love she deserved and they’ve come into each other’s lives at the right time…