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The man was thinking deeply as he drove along the well-known route, going over the things that had happened that day. He was practically blind to the small figure on the roadside because the relaxing background hum of his car’s motor was playing. However, as he approached, he was forced to halt down by something that drew his attention to the sight. He was shocked to see that the figure was a dog, one that appeared weak, worn out, and in desperate need of assistance.
The man hastily got out of his car as he pulled over to the side of the road, his pulse racing with worry. The dog remained where it was, seemingly too tired to move but too resolute to give up. The man could see how much this animal had gone through the closer he came. Its coat had worn away in places, leaving areas of skin visible underneath matted and unclean fur. It was the dog’s apparent infirmity that was most worrisome; it appeared to have trouble standing and its legs trembled from the weight of its own body.
The man knelt next to the dog and spoke quietly so as not to frighten it. In the dog’s eyes, he saw terror, but there was also a glint of optimism, as though the animal realised that assistance had finally arrived. The man held out his hand cautiously, letting the dog smell him, then softly put his hand on its back. The dog squirmed at first, but then calmed, as if comforted by the man’s composed manner.
Before long, the man realised that the dog was in dire need of help. Feeling the dog’s tiny weight from malnutrition, he carefully raised it into his arms. It was tired yet relieved, so it rested its head against the man’s chest without resisting. The man made sure the dog was comfortable in the back seat of his car before he carefully placed it there and drove off, his attention now directed towards providing the canine with the much-needed care.
Hoping that the animal clinic would still be open at this late hour, he drove directly to the closest one. He quickly informed the staff of the problem when he arrived, and they brought the dog in for an inspection right away. Not only was the dog crippled, but the veterinarian also found that it was very starved and severely dehydrated. It had probably been living on the streets for a while, fighting for its life in a cruel environment.
The owner was overcome with tremendous anguish as the veterinarian and his crew attempted to stabilise the dog. How could someone allow an animal to reach this state? He was aware that living on the streets was difficult in and of itself, but for a crippled dog, every day was a struggle to survive. The dog had persisted nonetheless, maybe motivated by its natural survival instinct and the remote hope that someone, somewhere, would rescue it.
While the veterinarian attended to the dog’s urgent needs and gave it fluids, the hours went slowly. The man waited close by, not wanting to go until he was certain the dog was safe. The veterinarian finally came up to him, looking fatigued but optimistic. The dog was stable, but for a full recovery, it would require constant attention and plenty of affection. The veterinarian added that although the dog’s impairment seemed to be irreversible and was either the consequence of an accident or a congenital ailment, it might still have a happy life if given the right care.
The man did not think twice. He was aware of his obligations. He volunteered to take in the puppy and provide it with the attention and home it sorely needed. The veterinarian was happy that this dog, who had already experienced so much, would now be in capable hands.
That evening, the guy left the clinic with the dog by his side—no longer a defenceless animal on the side of the road, but a friend who had at last met someone who truly understood. The dog gradually regained vigour over the course of the following few weeks as it adjusted to its new life. The man was reminded of the day he had found the puppy and the strong bond they had made in that time of need each time he looked at it.