When New Jersey State Troopers responded to a call-out on a busy stretch of highway, they found two dogs by the side of the road. They were keen to help both of the animals, but they didn’t realize that tragedy had struck.
This Dog Refused To Quit Her Friend On A Roadside. Then Police Realized A Tragedy Had Happened
The New Jersey State Police is responsible for protecting the nine million citizens of New Jersey. And while its main focus is on keeping people safe, its services sometimes extend to our four-legged friends, too.
Within the department’s jurisdiction is Interstate 280. The highway runs for almost 18 miles within the state. It’s also known as the Essex Freeway, after one of the counties that it crosses. And given that the road is a major artery within New Jersey, it can become particularly busy at rush hour.
One of the most congested stretches of the Interstate 280 is in Newark, the state’s most populated city. And it was to this part of the road that troopers from Totowa Station were called in October 2017.
Police grew worried after hearing from members of the public about two dogs on the shoulder of the highway. Recounting the incident on the New Jersey State Police Facebook page in October 2017, a post revealed, “The responding troopers were greatly concerned about the safety of these animals.”
This Dog Refused To Quit Her Friend On A Roadside. Then Police Realized A Tragedy Had Happened
When cops finally arrived at the scene, they found the two dogs lying by the side of the road. There was no sign of any owners nearby, however. As a result, the police decided that it was their responsibility to deliver the animals to safety.
But as the officers moved closer to the two animals, they made a devastating discovery. While one dog, a German Shepherd, was alive and well, its pit bull companion had already passed away.
While the police were no doubt disappointed that they wouldn’t be able to save both dogs, they now turned their attention to rescuing the German Shepherd. They knew that in order to help the animal, they needed to get her off the highway as soon as possible.
This Dog Refused To Quit Her Friend On A Roadside. Then Police Realized A Tragedy Had Happened
Moving the dog was not going to be easy, however. As the cops attempted to coax her to safety, they realized that she didn’t want to move. Over time, it became clear that the German Shepherd was reluctant to leave her deceased friend behind.
There is plenty of anecdotal evidence, in fact, to suggest that dogs can show devotion during other canines’ hour of need. Nonetheless, many scientists don’t believe that the animals enjoy meaningful relationships with one another.
But with that said, changes have been observed in a dog’s behavior when an animal that it shares a house with dies, suggesting that canines do experience grief. A study of pets in Australia and New Zealand, for instance, found that dogs seem to react in a similar way following the death of a close one.
Typical responses included checking their lost companion’s usual spots, which occurred in 60 percent of the dogs involved in the study. Furthermore, the same amount of canines were more clingy towards their owners in the wake of the death.
The study found that losing an animal friend also had a physical effect on dogs. One-third of canines ate less than they normally did following a death, while a similar amount began to sleep for longer periods.
Intriguingly, these behaviors are practically the same as those that might be displayed by a human child following the death of a family member. So, with all that in mind, police needed to be very understanding while helping the dog on the interstate.
This Dog Refused To Quit Her Friend On A Roadside. Then Police Realized A Tragedy Had Happened
Using all their skill, the police were eventually able to lure the canine into their dog car. Since neither of the animals had any form of identification such as a collar, the cops decided to take the German Shepherd back to the police station.
This Dog Refused To Quit Her Friend On A Roadside. Then Police Realized A Tragedy Had Happened
Back at the station, officers provided the dog with a drink of water. Then they attempted to cheer her up a little bit with a game of fetch. Nonetheless, her late buddy was presumably not far from her thoughts.
This Dog Refused To Quit Her Friend On A Roadside. Then Police Realized A Tragedy Had Happened
Given the tragedy that they had witnessed, the cops were keen to get to the bottom of how the dogs had ended up on the road in the first place. As a result, they launched a police investigation into the incident.
In the meantime, a nearby animal shelter brought the rescued German Shepherd into its care. However, the dog’s owner later collected her. It remains unclear if that individual was also the owner of the pit bull that died.
With the dog back at the home of its rightful owner, the police could reflect on the incident as a whole. A statement posted on the department’s Facebook page read, “We are deeply saddened by the passing of the other dog, but we’re elated that we were able to rescue the Shepherd.”
Yet despite the cops’ disappointment, the general public couldn’t have been happier with their show of compassion. “Thank you guys for your dedication, not only for the safety of people but for our beloved four-legged fur babies,” one grateful Facebook user wrote.