Driving on the freeway has dangers that are quite clear. High-speed vehicles and overtaking can lead to accidents, especially when a runaway dog is involved. Not many drivers will consider stopping to help a dog injured or scared by the cars passing by.
Debbie Allen, who was on her way to work, decided to help a German shepherd despite hurrying to a business meeting. This is how the story unfolded.
As A Pet Owner, The Woman Knew Exactly What To Do
It’s always dangerous to slow down traffic on a busy freeway, but Debbie took a risk herself to help the German shepherd stuck between the lanes. To make things worse, the dog had another problem.
I saw a dog in the middle of the road, and it was obviously limping so I knew it had been hit.
Without a second thought, she halted traffic after pulling over to the side. Visibly scared and panicking, the German shepherd started running uphill. Despite using her car to protect the dog from getting hit, its following reaction was too sudden to predict.
Going after the frightened animal to prevent it from getting hit, she was caught by surprise when the dog ran straight back onto the road. Clearly, it was too scared to trust Debbie’s intentions.
Once again, she rushed to her car to move it closer to the runaway dog. Stopping the traffic caught another man’s attention, who stayed with the dog while Debbie ran back to the shaken German shepherd.
By now, the Michigan State Police were aware of the situation and came to help rescue the dog. Sitting by the dog’s side and reassuring it that she was there to help, Debbie said for Scripps News:
I had him look at me because he was looking for an escape route and I said no, no, look at me, you’re safe.
The German Shepherd Was Not A Stray
Debbie confirmed that the dog seemed to be in good shape and taken care off. She says its behavior was that of a dog who has a home. According to what she saw, she simply assumed the dog ran away from the owner.
Once the Humane Society workers arrived, the dog was safely taken to their nearest Michigan facility. They confirmed that the German shepherd didn’t have a microchip, while still searching for its owner.
Even though the search for the owner was immediately launched, this canine still hasn’t reunited with his family. He’s patiently waiting for the call every day!
Thanks to Debbie Allen, this dog managed to survive this ordeal, despite many dogs dying or sustaining severe injuries by fast-moving vehicles [1]. Being a pet owner herself, she says that her reaction was not heroic, but simply human.
We should all take a page out of Debbie’s book when it comes to swift action and helping animals in need.
References:
[1] Kolata, R. J., & Johnston, D. E. (1975). Motor vehicle accidents in urban dogs: a study of 600 cases. Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, 167(10), 938–941.
