- HIKING TRAILS AND WILDFLOWERS by Keith and Barbro McCree -

Hello, my name is Hank. I was born in Oakridge in 1991. I'm mostly beagle, but also part basset hound, so when I'm on the trail I'm always busy, and when I'm at home I like to mellow out.

When I was a puppy I often used to escape from my yard and visit Keith and Barbro and their hound dog Thomas. After Thomas died, they adopted me from the Greenhill Humane Society. This was on 13 August, 1997. We soon became great friends.

20 August, 1997. Keith took me on a surprise visit to the Oakridge Animal Clinic, for which I have now forgiven him. After patiently enduring various prods and pricks by Dr. Stewart, I was told that I was in good health, but needed to lose a bit of weight. Now I know why my new friends are resisting my pleas for scraps from the table. I was told to stick to my diet and to continue my daily 5 km. walks.

22 August, 1997. We hiked to the top of Fuji Mountain. I got there first !

6 September, 1997. We explored Gold Lake in something called a 'canoe'. I had to learn not to rock the boat. It was hard for me to 'stay' with all the birds swimming past and animals walking along the shore.

6 July, 2003. Now I'm 12 years old, the old man of the family.

I still enjoy hiking, but my hind legs are stiff so I can't jump over logs like I used to. I ask Keith and Barbro to lift me.

I remember all the lunch places, and make sure I get there first.

19 March, 2005. My legs are too weak for hiking this year, but I'm happy to take short walks on the trails.

Hank's joints eventually became so weak that he was unable to walk. He died peacefully in our arms at the Oakridge Veterinary Clinic on 6 July, 2005.

More pictures . . .

Digital Photographs by Keith and Barbro McCree

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