Peter Rogaishio had just returned from a walk with his beloved 3-year-old Doberman Pinscher. Leaving the dog in the yard for a minute while he went inside to start a fire was the worst mistake he's ever made. “I heard a big bang and a howl — and the hair on the back of my neck stood right up,” Rogaishio said. That howl was eerily familiar; he knew it was his dog's.
Rogaishio's dog, Thor, had gone into the street and been hit by two cars. There was blood everywhere when he looked with horror at what had happened to his best friend. He called 911 and pretty soon the police showed up.
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When animal control got hung up somewhere on the way to his house, Rogaishio wrapped Thor in a tarp and put him in the back of his truck. He knew if he waited for help to arrive, he might very well lose Thor.
Ignoring speed limits and racing through traffic, he headed for the nearest veterinary hospital. But along the way, he passed a police cruiser. As the cop gave chase, Rogaishio refused to stop or even slow down. So the police set up a roadblock and brought him to a halt.
“I knew I wasn’t getting any further, and at this point, the cops had their guns drawn and were yelling to put the truck in park,” Rogaishio said. He jumped out of the truck, covered in Thor's blood, and with his hands raised cried out "My dog! My dog! He's been hit and is in the back!" The police had no choice but to arrest him after leading them on a high-speed chase, but they weren't going to let the dog die, either. So while Rogaishio went to jail, one of the cops took Thor to the hospital.
Thor is like a child to Rogaishio and his wife, Unice, and exactly like it would be if his human child was in the hospital, Rogaishio paced the cell where he spent an hour. After a neighbor bailed him out to the tune of just $40, he headed over to the hospital to be by his dog's side.
Thor survived the 5-hour ordeal to stabilize him and then was transported to another animal hospital for further surgery. Both front legs were badly fractured and one femur in his hind leg was shattered. Yet only a week later, Thor was able to stand with the help of a special harness.
Throughout the terribly expensive nightmare, one bright light showed forth. On the very day the accident occurred, a neighbor at the end of their street happened to meet them. When she realized what was happening, she set up a GoFundMe page to help raise the $20,000 they would need for Thor's care. In just three days, the campaign raised a whopping $11,000—and the donations just keep on coming. Thor's coming home soon, albeit on pain medicine and antibiotics, and the Rogaishios are eagerly awaiting his homecoming.
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In a split second, things can change. What would you have done if Thor had been your dog? When total strangers stepped up to help with his expenses, it made me realize just how many good people there are in the world. What about you? Have you ever donated to a GoFundMe campaign? Share Thor's story with your friends, and if you're so inclined, you can make a donation to help him get back on his feet again.