Texas Lieutenant Rescues Sick Stray Dog Near Traffic and Gives Her a New Home
Lt. Kenny Jay Mata was filming a public safety announcement when he noticed a thin, frightened dog wandering near a low-water crossing and close to traffic. What began as a roadside rescue quickly became a much bigger effort to get a very sick stray to safety.
Mata spotted the dog while recording the announcement, and the situation around her looked risky from the start. She was near passing vehicles, and the Texas Department of Public Safety Central Texas Region said she bolted when he first tried to approach her.
That reaction suggested she was afraid of people, so Mata did not chase her. Instead, he changed his approach completely. He got down on the ground, spoke to her gently, and waited for her to decide it was safe enough to come closer.
That patience paid off. The dog eventually moved within reach, and Mata was able to get her away from the roadside and out of immediate danger.
For dog lovers, that part of the story already says a lot. He was there to film a message about safety, but he stopped for a living, breathing emergency right in front of him. And once the dog was no longer at risk from traffic, it became clear that getting her off the road was only the first step.
What the veterinarian found
A veterinary exam showed the stray needed far more than a meal and a quiet place to rest. Her condition was serious.
Veterinarians estimated that she was about 6 years old. They found that she was severely malnourished and had significant skin and ear infections. Further testing also revealed heartworms and intestinal parasites.
Those findings meant her recovery would not be solved with one visit or one treatment. According to the department's account, she would need long-term care. The dog was also scanned for a microchip, but none was found, leaving no quick way to identify a former owner or learn anything concrete about where she had been before Mata saw her.
What was known was simple and urgent. She needed reliable food, medical attention, and a safe place to recover while vets addressed malnourishment, infection, heartworms, and parasites.
It also remained unclear how long she had been on her own or what had led to her condition. The picture that did emerge was of a dog whose needs were extensive, and whose future depended on someone staying involved beyond the rescue itself.
That is exactly what happened. As Mata and his wife became more involved in her care, they decided to make their support permanent and bring her into their home.
They named her Khloe Jay, giving the former stray both a fresh start and a family committed to helping her heal. Her treatment includes care for the full list of problems found by the veterinary team, from severe malnourishment to the skin and ear infections, along with heartworms and intestinal parasites.
There is no confirmed timeline for when Khloe Jay will be fully recovered. Even so, the most immediate threats to her well-being have already been addressed.
That makes the story easy to share for a reason that goes beyond the rescue itself. A frightened dog standing too close to traffic was first seen as a public safety hazard. She is now a named pet in a home where her recovery is being taken seriously.
For anyone who loves dogs, the turning point is hard to miss. Mata did not just remove Khloe Jay from danger. He stayed with the harder part, the medical care, the uncertainty, and the day to day help a dog in rough shape actually needs. In the end, the stray he spotted by the road did not just get saved. She got a place to belong.
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