This Dog Was Saved From Death Row And He Couldn't Wait To Thank His Saviour
Gregory was running out of time when a shelter photo changed everything. The 2-year-old beagle had landed on a euthanasia list in Ohio, even though he looked healthy and had clearly not lived the easy life of a typical stray.
Then Schenley Hutson Kirk and her husband Joe saw him. Because they run Hound Rescue and Sanctuary, they were able to step in fast, but Gregory still had a serious hurdle ahead of him, a positive heartworm test that made him rescue only.
With the deadline closing in, one quick decision turned into a full-on freedom ride. And Gregory had a very special way of saying thank you.
Gregory was in luck, though! Schenley and her husband Joe saw the photo that the animal shelter uploaded, and thankfully they are the owners of Hound Rescue and Sanctuary, which means they were the perfect people to rescue Gregory.
And that they did! They dropped everything to go and save him, never expecting a thank you in return.
The rescue came together fast, and Gregory was finally on his way out.
"My husband took the day off work to drive to the shelter, while I stayed home to take care of the other rescue dogs," Schenley said. "On the way back home, he decided to take a couple of selfies with our new rescue, which I scolded him a little for since he’s not supposed to take pictures while driving - but considering the photos he captured, I couldn’t complain too much."
The 'freedom ride' was the first time that Gregory and Joe met, but Gregory couldn't help himself. He just had to get as close to Joe as he possibly could, which was possible as his leash was just long enough for him to sit at Joe's shoulder.
When Joe sent over the selfie of him and Gregory, Schenley couldn't believe her eyes.
"Joe sent me three photos, and in the last one, little Gregory had leaned his head over, as if to say, 'You saved my life. I knew I was going to die at that shelter, but you saved me today,'" she said. "And just the look in his eyes - the thankfulness, the appreciation, and the love of this little dog - it’s as if he knows his life has been saved."
This reminds us of the woman who found the abandoned dog in the cold and used a heartbreaking note for help.
Now, safely in his new home with the Kirks, Gregory is showing his appreciation and thankfulness each and every day. "He is an absolute doll; he’s loving, affectionate, and he loves to give kisses. He is very well-behaved in the home."
He will now be finishing his month-long antibiotic treatment before starting on his heartworm medication, but in the meantime, he is learning some new tricks from his new mom and dad. "He’s very laid-back, very happy-go-lucky, and his favorite thing to do is receive lots of love from his people."
Even though nobody knows what Gregory's life was like before he went to the shelter, life is not that easy for beagles and hounds in rural Ohio. "Sadly, hounds get the stereotype that they’re just hunting dogs, and that’s it," Schenley explained. "That they’re smelly, that they’re loud, and that’s just not the case."
Luckily, they have Joe and Schenley, who have made it their life's mission to ensure that these breeds live happy lives, whether they want to be hunters or not. "From the time I was young, I’ve known quite a few people who hunted, and over the years, I saw the type of life that the hounds live," she said. "A lot of them live outside, tied to a tree with a doghouse. The only thing they have in their life is that small area, and the time during hunting season is the only activity and type of affection that they get, which is very minimal from the hunters."
But now Gregory is safe and sound in his new life, and Schenley knows they made the right decision to save him. They will ensure he has a great life moving forward.
Gregory's story is a reminder that one quick rescue can change everything.
Wait until you see how a starving dog wagged after being saved from death on a remote island, just like Gregory.
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