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Tortola stray dog 'Buddy' & PC Jon Harvey of UK reunited

- friendship was kindled in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma
December 5th, 2017 | Tags: stray dog Buddy Jon Harvey friendship hurricane Irma
Buddy and new owner PC Harvey in Suffolk. Photo: Gregg Brown
Once a stray on the streets of Tortola, Buddy is now in Suffolk UK. Photo: Gregg Brown
Once a stray on the streets of Tortola, Buddy is now in Suffolk UK. Photo: Gregg Brown
SUFFOLK, United Kingdom- Police Constable Jon Harvey of Suffolk, United Kingdom (UK) and the stray dog he rescued and affectionately named Buddy, while deployed in the [British] Virgin Islands in the aftermath of Hurricane Irma that struck the Virgin Islands on September 6, 2017, are now together at last.

According to the East Anglian Times, PC Harvey was among 53 UK officers sent to maintain peace and order after widespread looting had broken out on in the Britsh Overseas Territory. While on duty guarding aid supplies, the officer encountered Buddy, a Labrador cross dog that is about two years old. Harvey and his partner PC Pete French felt compassion for the dog and fed him, spending about half hour with him. Since Buddy was not micro-chipped it was difficult to identify owners, thus began the beautiful friendship that was to take Buddy over 4000 miles.

When the contingent had completed their three-week stint here the bond was so great between dog and man that neither wanted to be separated. "He put his paws around my thigh and buried his head in my stomach and didn't want to let go, bless him," PC Harvey said.

The Journey

With the help of the Humane Society, local vets and a local family, Buddy was first flown to Washington DC, the headquarters of the Humane Society, where he was checked over by a vet and spent his 21 days quarantine.

Then it was off to London. Buddy was flown to Heathrow by Virgin Atlantic, owned by Richard C. N. Branson, for free, and on Friday, November 17, 2017 was reunited with PC Harvey at the airport more than 4,200 miles away.

“He came through the reception centre doors and was pulling towards the front doors, but he saw me and came back, his tail was going, licking me and hugging me,” PC Harvey said.

Life in Suffolk

Buddy seems to be adjusting well to his new life, much preferring it to life on the streets in the Virgin Islands. According to his new owner, he is sleeping and eating well. “He’s as good as gold” is how PC Harvey describes him.

“I wouldn’t be without him now. I would never have expected to go over there and come back with a dog but I wouldn’t change anything and I wouldn’t be without him now. It surprised me how close a bond we have already – he seems really happy and I hope he realises he has got a better life than he did on the streets.”

Meanwhile, many dogs still remain in the shelter run by the BVI Humane Society. Animals are being dropped off at the centre daily said the proprietor and though persons are adopting, the young animals are the first to go. The older ones are more of a challenge to find homes.

28 Responses to “Tortola stray dog 'Buddy' & PC Jon Harvey of UK reunited”

  • ... (05/12/2017, 15:15) Like (28) Dislike (0) Reply
    wow such a happy ending
  • Hi Buddy (05/12/2017, 16:01) Like (31) Dislike (0) Reply
    This is such a beautiful story, in the words of a very kind and sensitive man.
  • what?!? (05/12/2017, 16:32) Like (4) Dislike (63) Reply
    Das my dog!!!! Das my dog sparx!!! What the hell yo! I need contacts for this man please
    • really?? (05/12/2017, 17:24) Like (59) Dislike (3) Reply
      Um, really? In the 3 months since Irma you haven’t managed to contact ANY of the animal welfare organisations to find him, put a missing post up on social media or anything??? That dog has found himself a owner who he obviously loves. He has moved on..
    • K8 (05/12/2017, 20:07) Like (19) Dislike (1) Reply
      lol. Sparx. Hope you don't have to lawyer up for an international custody battle over "Buddy", I mean Sparx
    • To bad (05/12/2017, 20:29) Like (13) Dislike (2) Reply
      You had plenty of time to claim him. Leave him alone. He is better off with his new owner. At least he is not going to suffer and he will have a much better life.
    • Ms. Diva (05/12/2017, 20:58) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
      @what?!?, if you had cared about Buddy, you would have protected and made sure he was safe during the storm like myself and other pet owners who love and care for our pets. Leave Buddy alone, he is with someone who is going to take very good care of him. Buddy, you are going to love your new home in the UK.
    • Nope!!!!!!!! (06/12/2017, 07:48) Like (10) Dislike (2) Reply
      No contacts, nada you abandoned the dog during the storm to fien for himself. Now you want to mooch off the dog because he found someone that is giving him a better life. Dogs don't forget, Buddy is happy with his new owner. Leave him alone. He is going to be fed well, have somewhere nice to live, loved and meet some new doggie friends at the amazing dog parks in the UK.
    • @what?!? (06/12/2017, 08:04) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
      Lol
    • GOOD ONE (06/12/2017, 09:56) Like (8) Dislike (0) Reply
      I got the joke. Lol nice one
    • sally (06/12/2017, 21:06) Like (4) Dislike (1) Reply
      @what?!?.....you’re kidding right? You sorry excuse for a dog owner, if this was truly your dog. If it was a child that you never looked for after all this time, it would have been taken from you hands down. We have never seen ant posts or even here on Vino searching for the dog. Buddy is in a better environment with a owner who seems to truly love him. If you want him back that bad, buy yourself a ticket, go to the court there and bring proof this is your dog. LMAO big time.
    • Stopit!! (07/12/2017, 13:57) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
      Hey, What?!?. You joking, right? You just want to blog so people could sock it to you about how you abandoned this dog during the storm, right? So long this dog find a new family and moved on and you just catching the story? Chile, go long. Rest yourself down. You sounding just like some people when they treated a lover badly and the lover moved on they want to start comemess about how much they had love. Too late shall be your cry, Pallo. Leave Buddy with her new man.
  • belonger (05/12/2017, 17:29) Like (26) Dislike (0) Reply
    @what??? Only now u know u had a dog after u abandoned him. Now Buddy have good life u now claiming him. U want a free trip to live with Buddy in the UK. Shame on u boy.
  • smh (05/12/2017, 17:49) Like (21) Dislike (0) Reply
    That dog will live better than most of us now. Life is amazing. From a stray animal in the Virgin Islands to a privileged and well cared for life in the UK. Nice story though. I hate to people and animals suffer.
  • Animal Lover (05/12/2017, 17:53) Like (21) Dislike (2) Reply
    I think the dog is in the right place. Did u ever reported it missing, ever look for it?? Just leave buddy with his new buddy. Lol awww such a nice ending, don’t spoil .
  • Elated loves animals (05/12/2017, 20:25) Like (6) Dislike (2) Reply
    Oh sweet Buddy I am so happy for you.Now you are going to have a wonderful life in the UK with someone who is going to love you and take good care of you.
    • hubby (07/12/2017, 20:56) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      so are you insinuating that Buddy (Spark) was not being loved and cared for?
  • thank you (05/12/2017, 21:04) Like (15) Dislike (0) Reply
    Thank you PC Harvey. I know Buddy is happy.
  • observant (05/12/2017, 22:08) Like (2) Dislike (18) Reply
    There are a lot of people in the BVI who are homeless and depressed. I sincerely hope that genuine and robust efforts will be made to rectify this ASAP. This story, be it all feel-good is a distraction in my opinion. By God, the real issues need to be addressed for the future growth and development of our people and country. Rally all!
    • hm (06/12/2017, 20:01) Like (4) Dislike (0) Reply
      And?...We are all aware of that.. what are you doing to help?.. Should we always be in low spirits then talk about God?.. This man did something good..I am sure God saw that..You must have wanted him to take you abroad like the dog and take care of you..He came ,worked ,helped and still helped buddy...Debbie downer.
  • Off the chain (05/12/2017, 22:32) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
    Only yesterday Morag was telling me about that Constable from Sulfolk that I should get in touch with because am trying to find out about this old English guy who took me to Sulfolk in 2006 , and I lost contact with him , and now am learning through this post that he already went back to England. The old man name is John Rush from Occult eye in Sulfolk.
  • wize up (06/12/2017, 03:43) Like (0) Dislike (1) Reply
    long live vino
  • pinky (06/12/2017, 07:28) Like (2) Dislike (0) Reply
    @What?!?, I hope you see all the blogs and all the likes . you never cared about Buddy as a dog owner. I am so happy that he is with someone who care and love him. Look at the picture and see how happy Buddy is. Leave Buddy alone. You show a perfect example of a cruel dog owner. If you had cared about him, he would have had his chip, dog collar with his name and you would have search for him after the storm. Leave Buddy alone he is happy and loves his new owner.
  • observant (07/12/2017, 17:24) Like (0) Dislike (2) Reply
    @hm. Apparently my opinion has you torn up as you seem to be very nearsighted as your view suggests. You need not worry about what my contribution was post Irma. Those who I helped were grateful. You're very out of place though for insinuating that I wanted the UK police officer to carry me to his country to take care of me. He'll need my help way faster than I need his. By the way God has established my position in life that I'm empowered and elevated, so being needy for earthly resources will never be my forte. Yes, God, He's whom I need. Yes, i just spoke of Him. He's real you know unlike your weak attempt for validity in the comments section of an online newspaper. You remind me of a ragtag group of tribesmen harassing a mighty army on the march, getting crushed resoundingly.
  • Peter (08/12/2017, 19:03) Like (1) Dislike (0) Reply
    The person ?what? Only wrote in fooling you all. There is no owner here. They just wanted to rile all of you up, and they did. Big joker.


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