When Covid-19 struck his household, two-and-a-half-year-old Cockapoo Henry was not only man’s best friend but became a hero.
Living with his owners Kerry Andrews, 49, a retail manager, and Paul Barrett, 47, an emergency vehicle operative for the Isle of Wight NHS Trust’s ambulance service, in Newport, Henry did something amazing, when both adults had severe Covid symptoms.
Both became very unwell
Contracting the virus earlier in the year, Paul became very unwell, experiencing insomnia on top of other debilitating symptoms.
While Paul was isolating, Kerry had also become symptomatic and was very unwell.
The Lassie moment
When Kerry was having an ‘extremely terrifying’ shortness of breath episode, with Paul still unaware of how ill she was, Henry helped save the day.
Paul said,
“As I lay on my bed, scared and not feeling well at all, the bedroom door flew open and Henry burst in. He jumped up onto my bed, barking.
“He tugged on my sleeve, jumped off the bed, barked at me again before running off. I don’t know how I mustered up the energy, but I managed to follow him from my isolation room to our bedroom.”
Seeing how bad Kerry had become, Paul was able to use his pulse oximeter to help and comfort her through it — along with Henry who had got as close to Kerry as he could.
Barrett: Henry is our hero
Now the pair are getting better but still suffering from the lasting effects of Covid, the ‘mischievous’ Cockapoo will not leave their sides.
Paul said,
“I’m not sure if we will ever be a hundred per cent again but I am just happy that we are both still alive.
“As for our Henry, he is our hero. The amazing thing was, we had never taught him how to open a door! He had figured it all out by himself to come and get me!”
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is part of. Read here to find about more about how that scheme works on the Island. Some alterations and additions may have been made by News OnTheWight. Ed
