Tribute archive: section 9

On June 28, 2003 in the small town of New Holland (Lancaster County), Pennsylvania an Amish farm on Railroad Avenue welcomed a litter of five pure bred Fox Terrier puppies. It was a hot July evening when Tony and Beth DeSorbo journeyed to this farm to meet the pups. Several Amish children brought the three females and two males out of the barn and placed them on the ground. One of the males was very interested in meeting the couple. He quickly took a liking to their Honda CRV and the dog toys they had in their hand. He was definitely the brightest in the group as he wanted desperately to get into their air conditioned vehicle. After carefully examining all the pups, it was decided that the roly poly white and brown male was the one for them. Unfortunately, the pup was still too young to leave its mother. So on August 4, 2003, Tony and Beth made the trip back to New Holland to pick up their boy. He would be called Harley McCarran DeSorbo from that day on. He was wrapped in a blue baby blanket and laid on Beth’s lap for the car ride home to Old Mountain Road in Wellsville, Pennsylvania. For the first 20 minutes of the ride Harley whimpered. However, after a short potty break in Columbia, Pennsylvania Harley got back in the car and instantly went to sleep. When he arrived at his new home, he sat on the sidewalk, not quite sure what to make of it, he then went over to Tony and licked his face. Certainly this was his way of saying he approved of his new parents and home. Two days later he went to the vet to get his shots and check-up; he weighed six pounds. Harley had a plush crate for his bed, but he did not like being away from his mom and dad. He found his way into their bed and slept between them every night of his life. Harley was the love of his parents’ life and the envy of all who met him. He quickly learned every trick and command he was taught. He loved to play outside on his two acre yard. He knew his property and often had to give up on catching a squirrel because they left the boundaries of his yard. Harley loved going for his daily walk around the neighborhood. He strutted and I mean strutted down the road for a two mile walk. Sometimes he would want to go further venturing out about three miles; he loved seeing the farmers and jumping across the creek. Some of his favorite places to go for a walk were at Pinchot Park and on the Appalachian Trail. In the summer he would run out to garden to chase rocks that his dad threw into the field. He would bark letting the neighbors know it was time to chase rocks. In the winter he could not wait for it to snow. He loved playing in the snow; chasing snowballs for so long that often times he had to come in to change into a dry sweater. Harley loved to go for rides in the car, he had a wonderful dog seat that allowed him to see out the window. On his many trips to Cape May, New Jersey he would fall asleep in the car, but as he got to the New Holland exit he would instantly wake up look out the window for a brief second bark at a horse and buggy only to lay down and go back to sleep. It was as if he recognized the place, but knew he was loved, safe and happy with his life. Harley was a well-traveled dog and made many visits to see his cousins in college. He went to Penn State, West Virginia and Mary Mount Universities. He also traveled to Connecticut, Delaware, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Tennessee, Virginia, and made one international trip to Niagara Falls, Canada. When Harley was ten he was diagnosed with diabetes. He started to lose weight so after a few blood test it was confirmed he had diabetes. It required him to get insulin shots twice a day. He never once showed any fear, he knew it was for his own good and it made him feel better. He would jump on the bed, get his shot, jump off the bed and run to the kitchen to eat. Once he was very sick and needed urgent care, this is how he met Dr. Amber Crow and Mikki Clark, they became his veterinarian and technician. They took good care of him and loved him like he was their own pet. He loved going to see them at Timber View and Dillsburg Veterinary Hospital. He loved seeing them so much he even visited them when he was healthy. About eighteen months after his diagnosis of diabetes, he got cataracts due to the insulin. He was still the sweetest boy you would ever meet and he did not let it slow him down. A few month later his parents found a wonderful person, Dr. Amanda Corr, she specialized in ophthalmology at the Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital in Norristown, Pennsylvania. She performed surgery to remove his cataracts; he had to wear the cone of shame for a few weeks but once it was removed he was back to his old self. A year later Harley developed glaucoma in his right eye. Dr. Corr was able to remove the eye and after only a few days he was running and playing like a big dog (Harley thought he was a lab like his furry cousins). Harley was strong and gentle, he loved to give kisses, he loved to get his belly rubbed and especially loved it when you kissed the wrinkles on his forehead. Harley was not fond of baths, but would slowly make his way into the shower on Sunday nights. He had the funniest ritual; once he was done being dried with a bath towel he would run around the family room running up the back of the couch, jumping across to the chair and love seat and after doing this a few times he would jump on the bed and go to sleep. Harley knew when you were sick and would resist playing with his hundreds of toys to lay beside you until you were better. He spent weeks lying next to his mom while she recovered from surgery. He did not let anyone get close to her and protected her until she was better. This is why it broke his parent’s hearts when he got sick. It was January 2017, Harley was not feeling well, and after a visit to the vet he still would not eat. It was very early on Sunday morning he had to go to the pet emergency hospital and was diagnosed with pancreatitis. He spent four night there, his parents visited with him every few hours, taking him for walks, coming by to feed him and just sitting with him. They were all happy when he was able to come home. For the next few months it was difficult to get Harley to eat. His parents tried everything; eggs, rotisserie chicken, baby food just about anything they could think of to include many different kinds of dog food. It was a difficult time for all because Harley could not get his insulin if he did not eat. This required his dad to take many blood glucose readings throughout the day. Again, Harley was just so sweet and would let you stick him as often as needed. This process was probably more painful for his parents as they hated having to do this so often. On Harley’s 14th birthday his parents decided to celebrate his day with a trip back to New Holland. Every birthday from the time he turned one was celebrated in a big way. This day was no different, after a visit to the Amish farm where he was born, they went for a walk at Friendship Park his favorite dog parks, took a birthday cake to his favorite veterinarian and then came home to open his birthday presents. He unwrapped some toys, a new coat and a fancy dog bowl. He loved opening gifts and especially liked anything in gift bags. People would say Harley was spoiled, but really, he was just loved. A few weeks after his birthday on a Sunday night Harley stopped eating again. No matter what was offered to him he would not eat. It was Monday, July 17, 2017, as soon as the Veterinary office opened his dad called Mikki, she always gave Harley special treatment. She contacted Dr. Amber who was out of the office, but would see Harley as soon as she could get to work. Harley’s mom knew he was very sick and worked from home that day so she could go along to his appointment. Dad and mom were very anxious and could not bear to see their boy in such pain. They decided to take Harley for a ride and went to Friendship Park. Harley knew where he was and jumped right out of his car seat, he walked around the park strutting like everything was okay. It was now time to go to the Dillsburg Veterinary Hospital to see Dr. Amber. Mikki greeted them at the door. The other ladies that work at Dillsburg Veterinary Hospital were very concerned when Harley came through the door. They could see how fragile he looked. Dad, mom and Harley were taken into a room, it was now that Harley let it be known to them that it was time. He laid quietly next to his mom and dad until Dr. Amber came to see him. Dr. Amber and Mikki made a comfortable bed on the floor for Harley. Surrounded by his mom, dad, Mikki and Dr. Amber, Harley took his last breath. Many tears were shed that day as they prepared to say goodbye to their most loyal companion. They were hoping for some sort of sign from Harley letting them know he was okay. It just so happened that same night there was a special Stations of the Cross being held at their church (St Patrick of Carlise). Tony and Beth decided to go, as they left church they looked in the sky and saw the brightest rainbow they ever saw. The rainbow remained in the sky their entire way home (about 30 minutes). At that moment they knew Harley was once again whole and on the Rainbow Bridge waiting for the day they would all be together again.