Hank
DAY 5: HANK
And then there were three.
Just days after Annie and Miles moved into the Little Red Barn, an 8-year-old, 175-pound Great Dane arrived as our third resident. Hank had been surrendered through no fault of his own. His family could no longer care for him, and too many stairs had become too much for his old legs.
Every visitor got the same welcome: Hank's ginormous head popping out of the doggie door, his deep Great Dane bark impatiently ordering them inside to love on him. The big bark was all talk of course, because it turns out he was a big marshmallow. He collected nicknames the way he collected dog beds: The Boss, Hank the Tank, King of the Crew, and, most famously, the "Fun Police," forever on patrol to keep his buddy Howard from having too much fun. He was so big the vet had to make barn calls because he couldn't fit in a car. He napped across two beds at once, murdered pillows, and thought he was a horse offering rides. But his gentlest job was his most important: protector of tiny, fragile Penny (who we will introduce in Day 7). She hid under him when she was in trouble, then stole his bed so often he slept on the floor.
Lorraine, a friend of Founder Jen's from Pittsburgh, freely admitted she was not a dog person. Jen bet her a paycheck she'd leave the barn with a dog. Lorraine spent the whole weekend following Hank around, wishing she could smuggle all 145 pounds of him home in her suitcase. Back in Pittsburgh, she couldn't stop thinking about him. First, her aunt offered to dog-sit, then her sister, then a neighbor, then four girls from the gym.
"I couldn't deny it anymore. It was time to bring my boy home," she decided.
On October 7, 2018, Hank moved to Pittsburgh. His adoption, along with his buddy Stuart's, opened the door for two more seniors to be saved.
Hank quickly settled into the good life: a big cozy bed, an entire first floor to himself, and a whole neighborhood turned into his fan club. His Facebook page, Hank's Haven, grew to over 9,500 followers with one video topping 9 million views.
"I still wouldn't consider myself a 'dog person,'" Lorraine said, "but I'm definitely a 'Hank person.'"
By summer 2019, Hank's huge, loving heart could no longer keep up with his body. An advanced heart condition was slowing him down. The barn community rallied one last time, raising funds for his care in under 25 minutes. On July 22, 2019, Hank crossed over, surrounded by love, having found his happily ever after on earth with Lorraine.
A dog surrendered for being too big and too old turned out to be exactly the right size for a woman who never wanted a dog at all. Years later, we're still telling his story: the gentle giant with his head out the doggie door, 24/7 fun police monitor, Penny's protector, and an adored neighborhood mascot.
Every gentle giant like Hank deserves to finds his person.
Help us continue saving gentle giants like Hank.
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Website: alwaysandfurever.org/donate