A man named Calvin was on his way home from work when he had a very strong feeling that he had to leave the road after a certain exit. He had never been on that road, but he immediately understood why he had to be there. On the side of the road was an injured dog that had been left to fend for itself. Calvin stopped and as soon as he tried to get out of the car the authorities arrived, writes ilovemydogsomuch.
Calvin knew this was not a good sign. He wanted to help the dog himself, but when animal control came, there were protocols to follow. By the time the uniformed men reached him, the poor dog was petrified. He even tried to run away despite his wounds.
The poor dog was then caught and held for seven days. Animal Protection had to wait to see if someone would take the dog. Calvin was visibly excited. He knew the dog shouldn’t be in a cold kennel. Especially with his severe injuries and uncontrollable fear. He just stared at the wall and hoped it would pass.
Calvin turned to a friend, Kendahl, who was experienced in rescue work and explained to Calvin that this dog would be difficult to care for. The dog was badly injured and treatment would be very expensive.
At this point, the dog would probably be put down, but Calvin wanted nothing to do with him! The leg had to be amputated and Calvin decided to find the money for the surgery himself! Kendahl was also happy to help. They decided to name the dog Ike.
When Ike came out of surgery, Calvin and Kendahl were worried. A dog like Ike needed special attention. His fear was paralyzing in itself. Kendahl decided Ike would be better off in foster care. He had time to be near his bed. That’s what Ike needed most.
Kendahl not only spent time with Ike, but also tried to show him that he would never hurt him. It certainly took effort, but Ike was slowly coming around. Kendahl was finally ready to introduce his cat Uno to Ike. He expected a few sniffs and maybe a tail wag. What he didn’t expect was a bond that would change his life!
Surprisingly, Ike continued to improve both physically and mentally. Kendahl realizes that he must leave soon to find a permanent home. Although this makes him a little sad, he says he wouldn’t have found a place if he hadn’t taken the animals and helped them start a new life. As much as he wants to keep Ike, he knows what his calling is, to do what others cannot.
