From the Pup's Mouth
My Life as a Trainee hospital dog.
Hello
My name is Harley.
I was borned here in Ballarat. I used to live with My First Family, then I was at a different place with lots of other doggies for a while.
One day I heard that some people were coming from some place called Melbourne to see me.
They were a couple of Two-legs, and Black Spoodle Doggie. We played for a while, then they left.
But they tooked me with them!?!
I didn't like that at first, 'cause I already moved house just a little bit ago, but 'ventually I got to know people and liked it there in this Melbourne place.
I liked it for different reasons, the People were nice, and the treats, but 'specially because we did a very fun thing called 'Visiting Hospital' ; Hospital's sort of like the Vet's but much bigger and MUCH more fun.
Hospital was strange at first. There were lots of people, and funny sounds and smells, and a little square room that shakes and when it lets you out, the corridor was changed.
I wasn't scared because I had my new sister Chanel and one of our People with me, and I liked it a lot.
The place we went most often, my People call a 'rehab ward'. All the people there knew us, and were very happy to see us. When we came to the front door everyone was there wanting to say hello, and I know them and run to them.
I had lots of Aunties and Uncles at that place, and I looked after them, make them happy and caught sticks for them.
Other times we went to another place, where Auntie Kate was the boss. She's a nurse, like at the Vet, but I've never seen her take a patient's temperature like the vet nurses took mine!
Auntie Kate's Place was good, and she smelled good because she has a dog at home taking care of her.
There were usually new people at this place most times we visited, but they almost all smiled and knelt down to pat my sister and me. Sometimes the people here are not feeling well, and sad at being away from home, and away from their own pets. I know what that is like because I stayed overnight at the Vet a couple times.
Most of the time they cheered up though when I came and let them give me a hug.
It's not all just being cute, though. You have to know where not to go, how to Sit, when to Say Hello, when to be quiet, and get used to all the noises and things.
I was learning all this really well, and having fun.
Then something happened that scared me at first.
My new family started doing what the First Family did, packing everything in boxes and shifting things. I got real scared, 'cause I didn't want to have to leave a family again.
But it was alright. We all went this time and we came back to where I was borned, Ballarat!
It was fun to have a new place to explore, and some of my people were had more time then for walking and things.
But I was a little sad that we didn't go Hospital from our new house.
A few different things happened. good and bad. My sister went away, to somewhere called Rainbow Bridge and we were all sad. And then I got another sister, but really different. She was just a puppy, and not sensible and growed up like me, but having her is good... most of the time.
But recently something else happened. My Pa, whjo used to take us to Hospital had been at home during the day since we moved, then recently he started going out during the day again.
Just like he did before we moved.
I wonder... I wonder...
Does that mean I might go with him to Hospital again?
I'd like that. I'd probably need to get back into practice, and learn a few new things and how to get places, but I liked it a lot when me and my sister went to hospital. She's not here, but I know she'd want me to keep walking people and catching sticks for them.
Iknow it's hard work being a Volunteer Dog, looking out for all the people in and visiting the Hospital, and I know I will sleep well each night after I get home, but it's a job that needs to be done, and I'm the Dog for the job!