Firefighters, Good Samaritans Help Save Life of Veteran’s Service Dog

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Retired serviceman Keith Gilbert experienced one of the worst possible things that could ever happen to a dog owner recently. He was forced to stand by and watch helplessly as his service dog, a German Shepherd named Mouse, got out of his control, ran across the road and was hit by a car. Being disabled and needing a service dog, it was impossible for him to cross the busy intersection in order to chase after Mouse or even to check on her. Instead, he was forced to watch the entire nightmare play out before him, knowing the entire time that there was nothing he could do to help her. Fortunately, a lot of other people came together in order to do exactly that.

Good Samaritans

The first people to stop were David Crump and Natalie Luke, who just happened to be traveling along the same road. The two had witnessed the dog being struck by a car and they were determined to stop and render whatever aid they possibly could. Luke herself says that her determination came from the fact that she is a dog lover and she can’t imagine what it would be like seeing her own dog in this position. As such, she made the decision to stop and help in whatever way she could. Fortunately, they were carrying a surplus windshield with them when the accident happened, something that came in handy after the dog had been struck. Not knowing how severe the German Shepherd’s injuries were, they immobilized her on the windshield, effectively using it as a stretcher. The two also had a first aid kit in their car, something that they used to take care of open wounds. Fortunately, someone had called 911 about the situation and of all people to show up, the Seattle Fire Department rolled onto the scene.

The Firefighters

It’s true that firefighters go on all types of calls, but it’s not really that often that they roll onto the scene of a busy intersection for a dog that has been struck by a car. Nevertheless, the firefighters from station 33 were determined to help as much as they possibly could. They even commented that the good Samaritans who had gotten there before them had done an excellent job of helping the dog and keeping her well out of the way of traffic. Eventually, they transported her to a local animal hospital in order to have her injuries tended to. Fortunately, the treatment was successful and Mouse is now well on her way to making a full recovery, something that Gilbert is extremely grateful for. The two were so happy to be reunited that they even made a visit to fire station 33 in order to say thank you to the firefighters who helped save Mouse.

Becoming a Star on Twitter

Since that time, Mouse has become something of a star on Twitter. It all started when the Seattle Fire Department was so excited that she and Gilbert had stopped by fire station 33 to say thank you that they posted it to the social media platform. Of course, people love a good animal story, especially when it has a happy ending. As it turns out, the dog’s injuries weren’t nearly as severe as people had originally feared. She had been struck by the car over the weekend and by Tuesday afternoon, she was well enough to go with Gilbert to the fire station to say thank you. This warmed the hearts of the firefighters so much that they posted it to social media and before they even had a chance to think about it, the post had gone viral. It’s easy to understand why. After all, who doesn’t enjoy such a story. It has everything that a person could ever need. A potential tragedy where other people come together in order to make a positive outcome, all topped off with a happy ending. It really doesn’t get any better than that. In a world that can often be so negative, stories like this are enough to keep people going when they feel like they’re not really seeing the good in the world anymore. That fact, coupled with the fact that Mouse is absolutely adorable, has made her the Internet star that she is today.

Taking Social Media by Storm

Of course, Twitter isn’t exactly the only social media platform that has been used to tell Mouse’s story. The Seattle Fire Department also posted the same story to their Facebook page. Realizing that an entirely different demographic typically uses Facebook as compared to Twitter, they wanted to post to both social media platforms in order to reach as many people as possible. The idea was to convey the good news to the public and to let individuals know what the firefighters who work in that area are sometimes faced with when it comes to going on calls that the general public may not initially think about. Today, both Mouse and Gilbert are happy and healthy. Gilbert has commented that he can’t imagine living anywhere else, as it was his own neighbors that came to his aid when he needed it the most. He also made a comment that he grew up in a very affluent area of California and never saw neighbors who are willing to put themselves out there the way that his Seattle neighbors have done. It’s something that warms his heart a great deal and he’s extremely grateful for both his neighbors and for the fact that his beloved Mouse is alive and well. Furthermore, he is anxious to repay the favor whenever the need arises. He may be disabled, but that doesn’t mean that he can’t contribute in his own way. He wants to pay it forward because he knows what it feels like to be in need of help and then have people come to his side when it matters most.