My goal envisaged taking my two dogs and ten cats with me on my adventure in Galicia. I know that things happen for a reason but the reasoning behind this is beyond me. As from Sunday evening - 18.7.21 -I only have one of my dogs to take with me.

My beautiful Harvey, a minature bull terrier, who I rescued almost three years ago collapsed with heart failure after playing with me on the terrace with him chasing water from the hose and barking at it. He was diagnosed with a heart murmur in November 2019 but had not shown any of the indicators of a problem until earlier this year. He literally keeled over twice before - oddly enough each time was just as I was preparing their food - but after talking to him and stroking his face he was up and about within minutes. This time however he did not get up after a few minutes so I rushed inside to get a blanket, wrapped him in it so that I could carry him and took him inside where I laid him on his bed. He raised himself up after a minute or two and I thought he would be fine, however, not a minute later he fell back down and was most definitely leaving me. Crying and stroking him I begged him not to leave me but within five minutes he was gone. He had not even made it to his tenth birthday on the 5th August.

This poor little darling had suffered such abuse before I rescued him but regardless was such a beautiful gentle soul who was amazing with people and other dogs. He suffered from Atropica - nasty skin problem - brought on I am sure by being left out on a terrace day and night for years. It was so bad that after so many neighbours made complaints the police eventually came and took him away. Luckily he was rescued from the kill centre by a local animal rescue team. Unfortunately while staying with them he, once again doing his favourite thing - playing with water , he got in the way of one of the horses and had his left back leg broken badly. When I adopted him from them he came to me with masses of medication, from antibiotics to cortisone, which I felt did really not do his allergies any good. Nobody could clarify his allergies. My vets had no answers apart from more medication.

After trying for seven months with his medication and being advised to feed him food that would hinder the immune system and hopefully stop the allergy I took a stand. I slowly weaned him off of all medication and started him and my other dog Bella on a vegan diet. I wanted to improve his immune system not destroy it. I cooked everything and knew exactly where it came from, and made sure it was a balanced diet. I added the supplements necessary for dogs when on a vegan diet after researching extensively online. Both Harvey and Bella have done really well on a vegan diet and things were really looking up as far as Harvey’s skin problem until November 2019 when he had his rabies jab (this was also when his heart murmur was discovered). His reaction to the jab was not good at all and his skin reacted accordingly - it was like taking an enormous step backwards. Since then I have been working on his skin condition both using homeopathy and coconut oil. he also wore an all-in-one suit to protect his skin. On July 1st I took his suit off so that his skin could have the sun and breeze on it and was amazed at how well he was doing. For the first time since I had him he had fur on his underbelly without scabs, fur on his face and neck without scabs and lots of tufts of fur growing all over his body. I was so sure we had turned a corner and he seemed so happy in himself.

Now disaster has struck and I am lost in the pain of losing him. Bella, my beautiful Podenco Andaluz, is still with me for which I am so grateful. I adopted her at three years old and have had her for thirteen years. At sixteen she is doing really well, especially since her vegan diet began.

I realise that this blog was supposed to be based on the preparation for my move to Galicia and all the adventures that encompasses but this has been a real reality check for me and such sadness that my lovely little boy Harvey will not be coming on that journey with me. His ashes will and I will plant a tree with his ashes underneath when I begin my food forest. I just pray that things happen soon so that Bella can come with me along with my cats.

Harvey with his suit on, Bella on the sofa and Harvey and Bella snuggled up together in one of their dog beds before Harvey had the rabies jab.