Pet parent was scared when a stranger kept following them at Walmart. When she realized the truth, they hugged each other
For those who have ever raised a pet, they’ll know that the bond is one that is inexplicable. Even if for a short while, the furry creatures know how to transform our lives and our hearts and it’s something we hold onto for life. A woman named Thyna Augustine shared an event on the German Shepherd Community on Facebook about a dog named Pepper and a stranger. Originally shared by Kaytee Amerson, the woman revealed how a pet parent was baffled when the stranger approached him and asked about his dog. It was only when she made a bittersweet revelation that he grasped the wholesomeness of the situation.
The pet parent had taken his 10-year-old service dog, Pepper, with him on a grocery run when he was approached by a woman in her 60s. "A stranger followed me through Walmart and asked if she could say goodbye to my dog," the post read. The shopper had been staring and following them throughout until she found the courage to approach them at the parking lot. With a shaky voice, she asked, “Is his name Pepper?” The pet parent was terrified. “I stepped back. ‘How do you know that?'” he confronted the shopper. At that very moment, the stranger broke down in tears and made a bittersweet revelation. "I raised him. Puppy raiser for Guide Dogs of America. I had him from eight weeks to eighteen months, then had to give him back for formal training. It's been almost nine years, and I think about him every single day,” she said.
It seemed confusing and bewildering but when the shopper pulled out photos of a puppy, the man noticed the features — “same white spot on his chest, same expressive eyebrows.” “A final photo: her hugging him, both of them crying, the day she had to return him,” the post read. The shopper revealed that the dog didn’t qualify for guide dog training because he was “too social,” and she often wondered what would become of him. Pepper had left a mark on the woman and she carried it with her, along with a lingering wish. The duo further conversed and the man learned that Pepper had saved his pet parent’s life sixteen times as a service dog. He provides diabetic alerts.
The stranger sobbed and said, ‘He was always so good at noticing when something was wrong. Even as a puppy. He'd bring me my phone when my blood pressure medication alarm went off. I never trained him to do that. He just knew." For the next 20 minutes, the duo shared stories, with Pepper the focus of the conversation. While the stranger poured in events from his life as a puppy, the man shared his recent shenanigans. As he listened, the pet parent knew the details were “things only someone who truly loved him would remember.” For years, the former pet parent had been longing to say goodbye and this was her newfound chance.
When she knelt, “Pepper walked right to her, tail wagging, and put his head on her shoulder like he'd been waiting nine years to do it.” She spoke to Pepper and thanked him for keeping his owner safe. She then approached the man and said, “And thank you for letting me see that he's exactly where he was meant to be." The duo is now in touch and the shopper receives a picture from the pet parent every week. “To everyone who's ever raised, fostered, or loved a dog you couldn't keep — they remember you. They carry you with them,” the post reassured. Nothing felt more comforting to pet parents than this instance. Lori Lamb said, “What a beautiful reunion for both of them!” Bill Young added, “This was an awesome miracle to connect.”
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