It’s easy to look at the big man that is Halbert (formerly Haleon) and see that he lives a life of luxury. Nothing but his iggy friend Khaos, warm blankets, beloved Duckie, and favorite chair for the foreseeable future. But that wasn’t always the case. This kind hearted, gentle Galgo entered Scooby rescue in Spain the summer of 2018. His front leg had been previously injured and they were forced to break it, reset it, and put a plate in to correct it. Despite limited backstory about his prior life before entering Scooby, once he was there he was known as a protector; always mindful and watchful of the other dogs, ensuring that everybody was cared for and safe. This attitude stayed with him the entire 14 months he was at Scooby and continues to this day.
In the fall of 2019, he was one of 38 lucky Galgos to come to the States thanks to the Daphne
Legacy Tour Group and American Greyhound. Upon his arrival everybody noticed how gentle, sweet, and silly of a disposition he had. Andrew & Catherine fostered and adored him dearly.
It was during his time there that they noticed his limp was becoming more pronounced. They
gave him a plush Duckie toy to help him cope; Duckie would be laid over his leg as a distraction to prevent his incessant licking. Issues with his leg aside, his personality was starting to shine through a bit more; he loved playing with toys, lounging on the couch, and craved affection.
November 2, 2019 we made the long trip from Cleveland, OH to Fort Wayne, IN to meet him. I was filled with anticipation about seeing this big sweetheart I’d heard so much about. We arrived at PetSmart and made introductions between Hal and my Italian Greyhound, Khaos. Hal was overwhelmed with the environment but seemed content enough. I hoped they would become fast friends. Over the next few days he warmed up to everybody he had the chance to meet and he and Khaos began snuggling.
Over the coming weeks, Hal went to a veterinarian a few times to check on his leg. After some consults, they determined that his body was rejecting the plate and his licking was creating an internal infection. Thankfully, there was no signs of cancer as we had previously suspected. After discussing our options, we decided that the most humane and suitable long-term option was amputation. In Feb of 2020, he went for in for the amputation; Duckie naturally came along for the procedure. After two nights at the clinic, he finally came home. His surgery involved removing the leg and the scapula, which resulted in over 80 staples. Despite his amputation, he got around very well and was in even better spirits than he was before.
Post-amputation his personality burst through; it was very apparent that the leg had been causing him immense pain. We started to see the real Hal. He began running around the yard (against doctor’s orders) and was full of life. Once he was officially cleared for running again, he bounded through the yard with reckless abandon, playing with Duckie and Khaos. His vivacious, goofy spirit really began to shine through and we began calling him Halbert to reflect his silly nature.
It has now been a year and a half post-amputation and he’s still just as funny and goofy as ever. When we moved into the new house, he found a chair that he loved and promptly claimed as his own. One of his favorite activities is sitting in the chair, watching the birds, and then falling asleep in increasingly comical ways. Playing with Duckie in the yard is another one of his favorite past times. He loves hiking and walks—we worked very hard to build up his endurance since it takes a lot of energy to hop everywhere. But that doesn’t slow him down. He loves following myself and Khaos throughout the house, checking up on us frequently, hoping for snacks of cheese or ice cubes. He has definitely grown accustomed to his new life of plush blankets and kisses; he’s quite the spoiled boy but it has definitely been well-earned.
On our walks, we’re often asked if he’s a greyhound. And we take a moment to tell his story, the story of the Galgo and Daphne Legacy Tour. Please continue to spread the word about Halbert and the blessings of American Greyhound and the Daphne Legacy Tour. Without them, I wouldn’t have my silly hopping man to share with all of you.
Please join us at the Avalon Manor in Merrillville for the Winning Hearts auction on November 7th to help American Greyhound raise money to help more dogs like Hal.
