After having the last of my many rescued dogs pass away from old age, I was determined to “take a break” from owning a dog for a while – until the last series of “Pedigree” commercials urging pet adoptions was on tv. One morning after seeing one of these commercials, I was driving onto the Florida turnpike when a dog who was attempting to cross the turnpike caught my eye…I knew it would only be a matter of minutes before it was hit by a car. I rushed to the first exit and turned around to go back and try to help the dog. When I got back to where I had seen him, I didn’t see him…so I walked along the fence where I thoughtI saw him last (all along, there was a pouring down rain and thunderstorm) – then I saw him, lying on his side, in the mud – blood coming from his ears and face. My heart jumped into my throat – I thought I was already too late and that he had already been hit by a car! I called out to him..and all of a sudden he jumped up with a surprised and frightened look on his face..(then I realized he looked like he could have been an aggressive, mean, bulldog-type dog) but then he started to wag his tail and was all excited and happy to see me! So, I tried to lift the fence to let him come under to me, but I could not get it up high enough for him to get under….so I had to drive around the fence onto a canal bank….but I could not drive to where the dog was…so I had to get out of my truck (again, in the pouring down rain and thunder and lightening) and I had to walk through knee high grass along a canal bank – where it was very common to see snakes and/or alligators -and I was wearing flip flops!! As I was continued walking, I thought I surely must be out of my mind! Then, all of a sudden, up in the distance, the dog saw me and began running toward me at full-speed!! I didn’t know whether to be happy or turn around and run! But soon he caught up to me, and was SO very happy to see me that he just was wagging his entire body and crying out loud with excitement! He followed me back to my truck and jumped inside as soon as I opened the door. He was so thirsty that he leaned over and tried to drink water from my bottle of water! I poured some out into my hand, and he ended up drinking the entire 16 ounces without stopping. As I took inventory of his “bloody sores” I noted that he had open sores all over his body…then I feared that he must have mange…I drove on home, and upon seeing him, my husband’s first words were “oh, Cindy…..don’t even bring him out of the car, take him directly to the vet”!
After examining the dog, my vet said that he was “full of buck shot” someone had shot him either multiple times with a bb gun or with shotgun pellets…his tail was broken in a bout 4 places and he was covered with fleas and ticks..other skin parasites and mange. I left him with the vet for IV re-hydration and antibiotics and to check to see if he had a “chip” or any other type of missing dog information. Long story (finally) short…a little over one year later….we have the best dog we have one of the best dogs we have ever had. I am sure it is because he knows that he was rescued and he continually shows his love and appreciation! I think WE were the lucky ones!

Cindy from FL