Dog Is Rescued Before Being Euthanized And He Can't Contain His Joy

It is very nice that animal shelters help many strays get a second chance at life with a new, loving owner. But when the shelter gets too full or they can't get some animals adopted, some shelters apply euthanasia to make room. As a result, dozens of strays are euthanized every day.

A shelter took in a stray dog, but they didn't realize he was carrying something else as well

One day, a two-year-old beagle was brought to an animal shelter in Columbus, the Franklin County Dog Shelter. The staff named him Gregory and claimed nothing was wrong when they brought him in; in fact, he was still energetic on his first visit to the shelter. Unfortunately, the staff then discovered that poor Gregory was carrying a deadly enemy: heartworm.

Heartworm disease is a deadly disease common in dogs

Dogs are favorite hosts for heartworms. These worms usually come from mosquitoes. When these mosquitoes carrying this disease bite dogs, the disease is passed on. If these worms enter dogs and are not treated, they can multiply rapidly and seriously affect the dog's life as these worms gradually attack the organs. If this disease is detected too late, there is often little chance of the dog surviving. This was the case with Gregory, whose body was full of these worms.

Gregory was to be euthanized, but someone came and prevented that from happening

The shelter thought euthanasia was the best solution for Gregory, but someone thought the poor dog might still have a chance to live. Animal lover Joe Kirk came across a post from the shelter explaining the beagle's condition. Since Kirk owns an animal shelter himself, he decided to do everything he could to save the dog. Kirk drove to the shelter and finally saw Gregory there in the flesh. Kirk told the staff that he planned to take the dog home and treat him himself.

Fate must have brought the two together

The first time they met, they bonded immediately. Instead of putting him in a crate, the man decided to let him sit in the back seat of his car. Kirk told TODAY in an interview that it was as if the two "had known each other for years." As they stood at a red light, Kirk took the opportunity to take a few pictures of him with the dog and send them to his wife. His wife, of course, was shocked and delighted at the same time.

The dog was so grateful to be rescued

A photo of them caught everyone's attention on the Internet - a photo where Gregory gave Kirk the sweetest hug. His cute and soft little snout and Gregory's friendly paw on Kirk captured everyone's hearts. It seemed like he wanted to show Kirk how grateful he is for saving him and giving him a second chance at life.

This is such a sweet and beautiful rescue.