Read Online Harry the Homeless Puppy by Holly Webb - Free Book Online Page B

usually only for daytime naps; he always slept with Beth. She’d probably have given him one of his favourite biscuit bones, too. He sighed, and snuffled sadly. She would come back, wouldn’t she?

Chapter Two
    Grace and Danny went to school round the corner from each other, Grace in the juniors and Danny at the secondary school. So Danny usually walked Grace home, except on Tuesdays when Grace had ballet. But today Mum was meeting them so they could all go to the shelter, and be properly registered as volunteers.They’d gone on Saturday, but it had been really busy, and the staff had asked them to come back in the week, so they could meet the dogs when everything was less hectic.
    “Oh, where is she?” Grace swung her school bag impatiently.
    “She’s not even late yet! We were finished early for once,” laughed Danny. “Hey, which dog do you want to take out? I really liked that big lurcher on the website. He was great – I bet he runs like the wind!”
    Grace smiled. “I don’t mind. Any of them. Oh, look, there’s Mum!” Grace ran over to her. “You were ages! Can we go straight there?”
    Mum laughed. “Yes, but I just want to stop at the supermarket for a fewthings, OK?” She winked at Danny.
    “Mu-um!” Grace’s expression was tragic.
    “She’s kidding you, Gracie!” said Danny. “Honestly, you’re so easy to wind up. Come on, let’s get going.”

    Grace, Danny and Mum stood in the shelter reception, waiting for Sally, the manager, who was going to show them around. There was a constant noise of dogs barking and howling.
    “You get used to it after a while,” Mandy the receptionist said, smiling. “Think how happy you’ll be making them, taking them out for walks. And it’s not only walking. With some of the dogsit’s just about companionship, a bit of playing or stroking. I’m afraid some of them have been badly treated, and we need to help them to trust people again.”
    “But none of them are dangerous?” Mum asked anxiously. “I wouldn’t like Danny or Grace to be with any dogs that might bite.”
    “No, no.” The receptionist shook her head. “Volunteers only take out dogs we trust completely.” She grinned at them. “The only thing you need to worry about is not getting too attached! I’ve got three dogs from here, the ones I simply couldn’t resist! You just have to remember that all the dogs are going to be rehomed eventually, or we hope so anyway. So don’t let yourselves get too fond of them, will you?”

    Grace peeped through the glass door, looking at the dogs peering back at her from their runs. How could she not fall in love with them all?
    “Grace, did you hear?” Mum said gently. “Don’t get too involved!”
    Grace turned back and nodded. She would try…
    The shelter wasn’t too busy, so Sally took Grace and Danny and Mum round to meet some of the dogs they’d be able to walk. There were so many – Grace was torn between being gladthere were lots of dogs for her to get to know, and sad that they all had no homes of their own. It was heartbreaking when the dogs jumped up at the doors of their pens, their tails wagging desperately, licking her fingers, clearly begging for her to love them and take them home.
    “Oh, this one’s gorgeous.” Grace knelt down in front of one of the wire-fronted runs to look at a little brown and white Jack Russell. “He’s only a puppy!”

    Harry looked up hopefully. Grace’s voice sounded a little bit like Beth’s. But his ears flopped back again when he saw her – just another girl. He turned round in his basket so he didn’t have to look at her.
     
    Grace gave him a surprised look. All the other dogs had been desperate for attention, and had wanted all the stroking and cuddling they could get. But this little puppy seemed to want them to go away!
    “This is Harry,” Sally explained. “He’s our newest arrival. He was left with us a week ago, by a family who were moving to America quite suddenly. The girl