Freya and ‘hero’ Echo take centre stage at Crufts
A CANCER-battling nine-year-old girl from Lincolnshire enjoyed an unforgettable experience on the famous green carpet at Crufts 2024.
Freya Harris, from Horncastle, and her ‘best friend’ Australian Shepherd named Echo came second in their class at the world’s most famous dog show last year.
This year, the pair were nominated for The Kennel Club Hero Dog Award at Crufts 2024. They were one of four finalists for the prestigious NEC Birmingham prize but were unable to grab glory as Vesper, a heroic search and rescue dog owned by Niamh Darcy, was announced as the winner on Sunday, March 10.
Freya was fighting through advanced Stage 4 cancer when competing at Crufts last year and credits the impact of Echo for helping her overcome the gruelling treatment. Her inspirational exploits led to her nomination in the Best Friends category for the top prize and saw her enjoy another memorable experience at the world’s biggest dog show.
Freya said: “Echo was always there for me whenever I needed her, she is my best friend. I always talk to Echo about anything I can’t talk to anybody else about. If I’m feeling sad she’s always there for me. If I couldn’t get up off the floor, she’d always help me up. “When Echo was a little puppy she knew that I was her soulmate and I knew too because when she came home, the first thing she did was she gave me the look and came running to me. It’s like we were separated for ages, and she always knew me, she made me smile all the time and there’s no way I couldn’t smile without her.” Four-year-old winner Vesper, a Belgian Malinois, was a finalist in the Extraordinary Life of a Working Dog category with her owner and handler Niamh, from Merseyside.
Niamh, a dog handler from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service, took a chance on Vesper in 2020 when she was 18 months old.
I always talk to Echo about anything I can’t talk to anybody else about. If I’m feeling sad she’s always there for me.