Real heroes are often regular people who decide to help when someone else might keep walking.
That is exactly what unfolded in a Colorado neighborhood when one young girl’s kindness changed everything for a dog who seemed close to giving up.
Nine-year-old Nova Skaggs was outside playing when a strange sound suddenly caught her attention.
Curious and concerned, she made her way toward the fence. When she looked down into a concrete culvert, she found a large black Great Dane trapped and injured beneath her yard.
The dog had no way to climb out and was clearly frightened and struggling, so Skaggs understood right away that she needed to do something.
A Young Hero
The dog’s paws were scraped and bleeding from trying to escape.
The Great Dane was lying at the bottom of the ditch. He was exhausted and frightened. After hours of being trapped, he was defeated and didn’t know if help would come.
Nova called her dad.
Her father, Rob Skaggs, followed her back outside. When he saw the dog, he knew there was no time to waste.
He grabbed a leash and climbed down first. Nova followed close behind.
The pup did not resist. He barely moved as Nova clipped the leash onto his collar and sat beside him. She talked to him in a gentle tone, and started feeling better.
The dog knew that he was no longer alone.
While Nova stayed with the dog, Rob called Animal Law Enforcement for help.
Rescue Efforts And A Long-Awaited Reunion
ALE Officer Johnathan Roe reached the scene and saw Nova sitting next to the dog.
“She was sitting with the dog when I arrived,” Officer Roe told The Dodo.
Nova asked if she could stay with him until he was safe.
Fortunately, the dog didn’t have any serious injuries.
When he was scanned for a microchip, it was revealed that his name was Bruce, and he was nine years old. His family had been searching for him for hours. They were terribly worried that something had happened to him.
Soon, Officer Winston Murphy arrived at the location.
Nova refused to leave Bruce while the officers worked.
“She stayed as close to Bruce throughout the rescue as she could, but never too far away to help,” Officer Murphy told The Dodo.
As Bruce was lifted onto the stretcher, Nova continued speaking to him. The doggo listened to her voice and felt calm.
Once Bruce was inside the truck, his fear disappeared, and he breathed a sigh of relief.
When the doggo arrived at the Humane Society of the Pikes Peak Region in Colorado Springs, he surprised everyone by hopping out of the truck on his own.
Shortly afterward, Bruce’s family arrived at the shelter. They couldn’t wait to reunite with him.
The family was incredibly grateful to Nova and everyone who helped their pup.
They hugged him and took him straight to the vet to care for his sore paws.
Bruce was overjoyed to be with his family.
Nova was glad to have helped the dog when he most needed compassion and kindness.
Officer Murphy added, “Seeing the smile on the little girl’s face and knowing how much it meant for her to witness this will stick with me for a lifetime.”
Thanks to Nova, Bruce was given another chance to return to the people who loved him.