Nearly 10 years ago, New Jersey State Trooper Brian Kearns helped rescue a stray dog that had been hit by a car, wrapped around the axle, and dragged nearly 1000 feet along the highway. When Kearns and his partner noticed the wounded animal while on duty on July 17, 2007, the two rushed to see if there was anything they could do to help.
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In a Facebook post Thursday, State Police said Trooper Kearns picked up the injured dog and took it to a nearby animal hospital, where he was given a “grim” prognosis.
The veterinarian did not expect the dog to survive, but miraculously, he didn’t have a single broken bone. Aside from some cuts and severely burned pads on his paws, the animal was spared.
Trooper Kearns later returned to the animal hospital to see how the dog was doing. By that point, the rescued pup had already formed a special bond with him:
“When Tpr. Kearns returned for a visit, the dog left his crate for the first time and sat next to him,” the post reads.
After spending another month recovering, the dog was given a clean bill of health and adopted by Trooper Kearns and his family. They named him Gonzo, in honor of Kearns’ late colleague, Trooper Scott Gonzalez, who was killed in the line of duty.
“You never know what this job will bring,” the post reads. “As troopers, we are exposed to tragedies, miracles, and everything in between. At the end of the day, we take solace in the fact that the good we do as a whole makes enduring some of the terrible things we see worth it. But by no means is our job all doom and gloom.”
For the past 10 years, the Kearns family has done their best to give Gonzo, the “ultimate underdog,” the life he always deserved.
“And from what we’re told, loves kids!” the post concludes.
(H/T: WTXF-TV)