Last week, I was lucky enough to escape the frigid Chicago weather and head to Mexico for my best friend’s wedding! We ate, we drank and most importantly, we enjoyed the sunshine. What I didn’t know is that when I came home from Mexico I would meet a pup that would change my life forever.
As I drove home from the airport Tuesday evening at about 7pm (anxious to see my pup, Olive) I drove past what looked to be a possum laying still in the middle of the road. I continued driving and slowed down when I saw a crowd of people around this animal and then realized it was a dog! I slammed on my breaks, my heart crumbled into a million pieces and I knew I had to help! As I came closer to the poor dog it was quiet and still and I feared the worse until I saw her little ears wiggle, felt a strong heart beat and noticed her eyes blinking when I spoke to her. At this point, I knew we needed to get her help ASAP and I was not about to wait until Animal Care and Control came. With the help of other wonderful pedestrians (all helping as well) we made a little stretcher out of a piece of a furniture and hoisted her into the trunk of my car. I put my seat belt on and sped as fast as I could to the Animal ER on Clybourn.
As soon as we got to the ER they scanned this sweet pup for a micro-chip and unfortunately could not find one. From this point, it was just a waiting game to see how soon we could track down her pet parents and get her the help she needed. That night, I posted her picture and story on Lostandpound.com, craiglist, emailed the Shiba-inu rescue (as that was her breed) and contacted all my animal related contacts/friends/resources. I also posted her picture on my personal FaceBook wall and within minutes her picture and story was spread like wildfire all over the web. I received numerous emails from people I hardly knew letting me know they would donate money to help this pup. The way in which people came together was remarkable and truly a humbling experience.
The next day, after a very long day of e-mails, phones calls and tears, I got a call from the Shiba Inu rescue that the pup’s parents had been contacted and that she was in stable condition! Apparently, an e-mail I had sent to the the Shiba Inu rescue had been sent to numerous people and somehow ended up in the hands of a volunteer at PAWS who knew who the pet parents were (or so I’ve been told). When I heard the news I literally “jumped for joy” and cried out of happiness. I didn’t care at all how these pet parents were found or if they ever knew who I was, but simply that this dog was safe, sound and alive!. It was a miracle!
To make a long story short– I will never know what would have happened if I did not stop. Hopefully, the outcome would have been the same, but all I keep thinking is that I am so grateful that I did. My love for dogs is indescribable and the joy I feel inside knowing that I helped save a pup’s life is something I can not even put into words. Everyone take a minute and give your furry friend and huge kiss/squeeze/belly rub and let them know how lucky you are to have them in your life! 🙂
