Percy MacKenzie

RUN FREE PERCY (2004-16/1/2019)

Our dear Percy went peacefully to the Bridge on 16th January.

We rescued him in 2005 as a ‘young adult dog of indeterminate age’ so we only know he was at least 15yrs old, possibly more when we lost him.

He had parvovirus, campylobacter and salmonella and a bite on the back of his head when we first met him. He was so dirty and knotted we weren’t sure what kind of dog he was, other than he was huge, white and incredibly frightened.

With vet treatment and a lot of love, he blossomed and went on to help many other dogs and people too. He showed scared and reactive dogs, who had been rescued locally, how to relax and be calm and he showed 2 dogs, who came to live here towards the end of their lives, how to have fun and feel loved. He also made a point of picking out elderly and lonely people on his walks and making a connection.

His amazing calmness and healing nature convinced us to search for a Golden Retriever Rescue so we could support this incredible breed and we always attributed finding IRR to Percy.

Even though Percy wasn’t an IRR dog himself, we were sure he led us here. Percy helped a number of IRR foster dogs and, while he has left a huge hole in our lives, we are so proud to have been his family and of knowing so many dogs have enjoyed a good life because of our wonderful boy.

Percy joins Robbie, Sam, Bruce, Jodie, Samson, Radclyffe, Carla, Abbie, Branwell, Holly, Daisy, Hugo, Reuben and our first IRR foster dog, Freddie, at the Bridge. He’s running free with all of them now. We miss him dreadfully, but we’ll never forget him and we know that one day we’ll all be together again.

I will lend you for a while my special dog, God said,
For you to love him while he lives and mourn him when he’s dead.
Maybe for twelve or fourteen years, or maybe two or three.
But will you, till I call him back, take care of him for me?

He’ll bring his charms to gladden you and (should his stay be brief)
You’ll always have his memories as solace for your grief.
I cannot promise that he’ll stay, since all from Earth return,
But there are lessons taught below I want this boy to learn.

I’ve looked the whole world over in search of teachers true
And from the folk that crowd life’s land I have chosen you.
Now will you give him all your love nor think the labour vain
Nor hate me when I come to take my best boy back again.

I fancied that I heard them say “Dear Lord Thy Will Be Done,”
For all the joys this pup will bring, the risk of grief you’ll run.
Will you hold him with tenderness and love him while you may
And for the happiness you’ll know, forever grateful stay.

But should I call him back to me much sooner than you’ve planned
Please brave the bitter grief that comes and try to understand.
If, by your love, you’ve managed my wishes to achieve,
In memory of the boy you’ve loved, there is no need to grieve

Cherish every moment that he has spent with you,
Your ever faithful Golden boy, you know he loved you too.

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