There are few things more heartwarming than heroic pet rescue tales. But this one, about Sergeant Tegan Griffith, a former Marine and war veteran who serves as a leader of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, and a little guy named Larry, will particularly tug at your heartstrings. Truly, it's no wonder Griffith's retelling of the story has gained more than 23,000 retweets in just three days.
You see, earlier this week, Griffith was driving to work in northern Wisconsin when she suddenly got the sense that something was wrong.
"This is a road I take twice a day on my way to/from work," she wrote on Twitter. "I know the branches and rocks and dead deer but something looked out of place."
She looked down at a ditch by the side of the road and saw something was moving in it.
It turned out to be a tiny, floppy-eared puppy who was cold, hungry, lost, and all alone in the world.
At first, the scared little one ran away from Griffith. But then she managed to coax him into her car by offering him some of her cheese snacks. The overnight temperature in Wisconsin is still in the low 20s, so she tried to warm him up right away.
Griffith, who describes herself as a "cat person," obviously couldn't just leave the helpless creature to fend for himself once he came into her life. So she snuck him into her office...
...Tucked him into her vest and kept on working.
Once Griffith and the pup got home, she contacted the Forest County Humane Society, and found out that the little guy was actually one of four dog siblings abandoned in the woods.
His three sisters had been dropped off at the animal shelter the day before, which means that the poor puppy had to survive a brutally cold night out in the forest all by himself.
He's the runt of the litter at only 10 pounds, so we can only imagine how difficult that night was for him.
After finding out about his sisters, Griffith—of course—reunited the siblings and they were elated to see each other.
And, naturally, she couldn't resist giving Larry, as she named him, a forever home.
It's wonderful to know that there are people like Griffith to restore our faith in the world. After going viral, she even encouraged people to donate to her local animal shelter.
The outpouring of love and support was incredible. In just 24 hours, the Forest Humane Society received more than $10,000 in donations from all over the country. And the generosity is only increasing as Larry's story continues to spread.
"As a veteran, I’m relating to a lot of people who were saying, 'I was really in a hard place today until I found Larry’s story,'” Griffith told Fox 9 News. “That this little floppy-eared puppy has made a positive impact on people ... just makes me happy. That’s all I was trying to do share.”
And, as for Larry, it seems he's settling into his new home just fine.
And for another great dog adoption story that will make your day, read about the Abandoned Dog That Went Viral And Is Now Living “Like a King.”
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