Admit it; there’s this unexpected softness in our hearts when it comes to stray animals. We can’t explain the tug that we feel whenever we see animals who are suffering under harsh conditions. This is exactly what one firefighter from Sacramento, California, felt after rescuing a three-month-old pitbull named Chunk. After putting her under the care of a pet shelter, the fireman who rescued her visited the puppy to see her condition, and what the puppy did surprised him.
While on their way to an emergency, the crew from Fire Station 14 spotted a shivering puppy by the roadside. Despite her small size, the puppy is suffering from tiny pink scabs all over her body. Other than that, her legs were swollen, and was nearly hairless because of her skin condition called mange.
After attending to their duty, one firefighter named Mike Thawley’s brain was haunted by the sight of the puppy. He decided to rescue the puppy and bring her back to their station. Once there, the puppy, whose name is Chunk, received a warm welcome from the firefighters. They bathed her, snuggled her, and gave her what she needed at the moment just to make her feel safe.
However, Chunk’s mange needed medical care from professionals, so the firefighters took her to the Front Street Animal Shelter to receive the medical care that she needed. Since Chunk had no fur to keep her warm, the shelter staff clothed her, and she began her road to recovery. Luckily, her mange wasn’t severe, but it would take a long time to heal.
Thawley and Chunk’s Friendship
Even when Chunk is under the care of a dog shelter, Thawley can’t help but think about her. The very next day, he went to the dog shelter to check on Chunk. Much to his surprise, Chunk greeted him by wagging his tail. It’s as if Chunk is saying thank you for rescuing her at the side of the road. Thawley knew that the puppy he once rescued had never forgotten him. Thawley said that they all had fallen in love with Chunk.
Their friendship didn’t stop there. Thawley once again visited the shelter with his wife and three daughters, where his family also formed a special bond with Chunk. It became clear to everyone whose going to adopt Chunk as soon as she was cleared for adoption. The Sacramento Fire Department’s Facebook page even hinted at the rescued Chunk’s future home, where they humorously shared that the vote seemed to favor adopting her four to one.
True enough, Thawley and Chunk’s friendship has made Thawley adopt the puppy that he rescued. The Thawley family began the adoption process for Chunk as they waited for her to finish her mange treatment. After four months, the Thawley family officially welcomed the puppy as they named her Chunk.
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What is Mange?
Mange is a serious skin condition in dogs. It’s a skin disease that can be pointed to mites that can be found in the hair follicles of dogs. These mites are so small that you would need to put them under a microscope to view them. These feel extremely itchy for dogs and uncomfortable. Pet owners should be careful when their dogs are suffering from mange as it is said to spread from cats to dogs and even dogs to people.
If you suspect that your dog is suffering from mange, read through the symptoms:
- Severe itching
- Hair loss
- Wounds from extreme scratching
- Raised bumps
- Crusted skin
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From The Club
I’m a firm believer that you don’t choose your dog; it’s the dog who’ll choose you. Therefore, it was Chunk who chose Thawley to be her new family. I can’t help but be amazed as it looks like they’re destined for one another. Truly, it was the universe that set them up at the right place and time.
