A German shepherd mix was found abandoned, tied to a tree August this year in Indiana, and thanks to a few good souls, she was given a remarkable second chance.
A concerned passerby found her and then contacted the local Johnson County Animal Shelter. Since then, the dog was given not only a new home but also a new job.
Shelter employees were surprised when they approached the shepherd, as she had clearly been well looked after and appeared in good health. At first, they were at a loss as to why the dog had been abandoned. But then they found a note stuck to her collar.
“My name is Roadie,” the note read. “My dad lost his job and soon his home from Covid.”
The shelter was sympathetic but stressed that leaving a dog like this isn’t the best way to handle the situation. It's not only emotionally stressful and traumatic for the animal, but also simply dangerous and potentially harmful. Roadie was lucky, and was soon to be luckier still.
Pell wasn’t about to leave it at that, though. In fact, he was looking for a K9 to join his department, and he thought Roadie looked like a good fit. “I saw something in her face,” he said. “The breed, the soulful eyes, the stance, just something caught me.”
Chief Pell contacted the Johnson County Animal Shelter, and adoption papers were sent and signed. And “Roadie” became “Rosie,” the fire/sheriff’s department’s newest search-and-rescue K9.
“We can give her a second chapter to her life and give her a job that helps people,” said Pell, who renamed the dog to mark her second chance at life.
Rosie still needs to undergo months of training before she can get to work, but Pell already sees potential. “We don’t want the most hyper dog, and we don’t want the calmest dog,” the fire chief said. “We want a dog in between that can work the range of emotions, and she’s a well-balanced dog.”
Pell will also look after Rosie during her free time.
Meanwhile, Rosie is already winning people over and is a favorite at the department. “She’s friendly. She’s happy; she’s a joy for everyone to be around,” said White River Township fire marshal Braden Prochnow.
Despite tough times, Rosie is making a remarkable transition from being a rescue to a rescuer and may one day help others in need of rescuing.
“Rosie needs a job,” Chief Pell said plainly. “And she’s going to have a job making someone’s life better.”
