Someone abandoned a puppy in this man’s truck bed, but the pup got a second chance.
It started as a day like any other for Jerry Murray, but soon he would be saving a life. When Murray got home from work, he discovered a backpack sitting in his truck bed that he didn’t put there.
Like anyone would, he got closer to the bag, and that’s when he noticed eyes looking at him. Murray told News Channel 8 in an interview:
“I’m standing here like this and I hear a noise, and I look in the back, and we meet eyes.”
Murray found himself staring at a set of blue eyes on the gray and white puppy that someone had stuffed in a New York Yankees backpack. The bag was also filled up with shredded newspaper. When Murray realized he was looking at a dog who had been abandoned in his truck bed, he explained:
“He’s in there, he’s panting, and I see him and I’m like, ‘What am I going to do?’”
Compassion for the pup was no problem for Murray, who already has dogs of his own.
This meant that he also had the appropriate canine supplies on hand. Before doing anything, Jerry brought him inside.
“Gave him some water, gave him some food and let him relax a little bit, ‘cause I’m sure he was traumatized from the ride.”
After this, the puppy got to explore Murray’s backyard, stretching out his legs.
In an interview with ABC Action News, Murray explained:
“I felt so bad for him. Then I got kind of angry. I was trying to think who would do that to a dog. I mean, leave him there to die.”
Murray told the reporters that when he first found him, the dog “didn’t want to move. He was lethargic,” thirsty, weak, and dirty.
“He looked very sad, it took a while for him to wag his tail.”
Unfortunately for the abandoned dog, Murray knew he wouldn’t be able to adopt him. This U.S. Air Force veteran already has three pooches of his own. Murray and his wife decided to contact Second Chance Friends Rescue Group located in Plant City.
The animal rescue organization was glad to take in the pooch, who now goes by the name Zeus.
Bill Grey, the founder of the organization, told News Channel 8:
“He could have died in that backpack. […] I live out here in the country and the ones that are just dumped along country roads and nobody ever sees… those are the ones that haunt me.”
Luckily, Zeus ended up in the truck bed of a compassionate human who knew just what to do. Now he just needs to get a clean bill of health from a veterinarian and be neutered, and will soon be up for adoption.
Murray described Zeus as a pooch that will be the perfect addition to the right family.
“He’s a very sweet dog. Didn’t make very much noise and if you love him, he’ll love you.”
With such an amazing personality and a unique story, Zeus will hopefully find his forever home in no time at all and be able to put his sad past behind him.
As to who left Zeus in the back of Murray’s truck? We may never know. Murray was in downtown Tampa for about three hours at a meeting before making the 35-minute trip back home, so Zeus could have been left there at any point. However, there is some hope that a surveillance camera in the area may have caught something.
In the meantime, Zeus is working on getting healthy so he can find a new home. While he waits, he is making plenty of new friends at the animal rescue.
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source: ABC Action News
