Sick Puppy Feels Down At Shelter But Is ‘Grateful’ When Firefighter Who Rescued Her Returns

Jun 09, 2023

What would you do if you saw an animal who needed help? Would you know where to go or who to contact that would be able to care for the animal? Fortunately, when one firefighter came across a dog who appeared to be in rough condition, he knew exactly what to do.

In October 2017, Sacramento Fire Department Engine No. 14 found a hairless, cold, abandoned dog named Chunk on the side of the road. On their drive back to the station, the crew doubled back, rescuing the dog and taking her to the local animal shelter.

A few months later, Sacramento firefighter Mike Thawley, who was part of the original team that rescued Chunk, permanently adopted her.

Chunk — the pup in question — was a pit bull who was found sick and tied up by Fire Station 14 firefighter Mike Thawley, Fire Rescue 1 reported. She was out in the rain and all alone when he found her. Not wanting to see the animal succumb to the elements, Thawley took it upon himself to save the poor creature.

After he cleaned her, Thawley brought her to the Front Street Animal Shelter in Sacramento. There she was given medical attention and was treated for her mange by the staff. After she was checked up, she was given a comfy bit of clothing to protect her skin.

The pup was obviously grateful for Thawley saving her as she formed a tight bond with him. He had dropped her off at the shelter and then left. She missed him dearly. After all, he was the man who had saved her life. Thawley wouldn’t be gone long, though.

The very next day, after the firefighter dropped the sick pup off, Thawley returned to the shelter and was reunited with the extremely excited young pup. Luckily for us, this reunion between Thawley and Chunk was filmed for others to enjoy.

The Front Street Animal Shelter posted the video on their Facebook page on Oct. 17, 2016, with the caption:

“Yesterday Firefighter Thawley found a sick puppy tied up in the rain. After getting her cleaned up she was brought to our shelter for some TLC. The next day Firefighter Thawley came down to visit the pup. As you can see from the video, she is very grateful!”

To make things even better, it was revealed that Thawley had spoken to his family about Chunk, and they went over the possibility of fostering her. According to Fire Rescue 1, Chunk eventually did find a home with the Thawleys in February of 2017. Thawley, his wife Carla, and their three daughters first decided to foster Chunk during her rounds of treatment for a noncontagious form of mange, which eventually led to her permanent adoption. 

“We all just kind of fell in love with her,” Thawley said.

The firefighter explained that his family found joy in dressing Chunk up in sweaters during the holiday season. “My wife likes to dress Chunk up,” Thawley said.

We're glad Chunk's story had a happy ending, but sadly, not all pups have the same story. Fortunately, there are many shelters across the globe where people can go and care for and rescue these furry friends.

Did this story warm your heart? Have you rescued any animals? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to your family, friends and all the animal lovers you know!