“I do not believe in a lot of things but I do believe I was meant to find him.”
For Nate Ohlman, the morning of February 25 began like any other day. As usual, he was traveling his route and delivering the mail when he unexpectedly spotted an old dog curled up in a ditch at the end of a dead-end road. Ohlman could tell the poor puppy was having a difficult time staying warm because it was a really cold day in the thick of a brutal Missouri winter. He was heartbroken to see him shivering in the cold by himself, and he felt he had to attempt to find a way to assist him.
Ohlman made an effort to approach the dog cautiously so as not to scare him, but soon discovered that the elderly canine had poor hearing and vision.
Ohlman told us, “I moved around a little and made a few noises, till he could see me, and as soon as he could, he sprang up and bolted for my mail truck. He was famished, frostbitten, and alone himself.
The dog, subsequently given the name Sloan, instantly recognized Ohlman and realized he was there to assist him. Sloan helped Ohlman get into his pickup as he pondered how someone could have let the skinny dog down so terribly while he looked down at him.
Ohlman hurried Sloan to the closest animal hospital since he knew he needed assistance as soon as possible. Crossing his fingers that his new friend would be well, he dropped him off and made sure the medical staff had his contact information so they could keep him informed of Sloan’s progress.
“I instructed the clinic to give him my phone number. I was curious as to what would happen to this sweet youngster, Ohlman remarked.
After that, Ohlman returned to work and continued on his route, but no matter how hard he tried, Sloan would not leave his thoughts.
Ohlman remarked, “I wondered how and why someone could do such a horrific thing to such an innocent creature. “It crushed my heart to believe he was alone in the love of others. I had to adopt him, period. I don’t have much faith, but I do think I was supposed to find him.
But at that point, all Ohlman could do was desperately pray for Sloan’s survival and that eventually, they would find their way back to one another.
Sloan eventually found a home with KC Pet Project and showed up at their shelter the next day after being saved from the side of the road. Everyone involved in the rescue was devastated to see him because of his terrible condition.
Tori Fugate, chief communications officer at KC Pet Project, told The Dodo that the dog “was terribly underweight, he had sores all over his body, and he could not stand or walk on his own for a lengthy amount of time.” His body condition received the lowest body score that our veterinarians could assign.
Sloan eventually found a home with KC Pet Project and showed up at their shelter the next day after being saved from the side of the road. Everyone involved in the rescue was devastated to see him because of his terrible condition.
Sloan was immediately given medication and fluids by his rescuers, who also kept a very close eye on him for several days. They feared Sloan was too damaged to recover; however, after receiving the best care possible, he began to get better and eventually gained the strength to go into a foster home, where he continued his arduous road to recovery.
Sloan was thought to be around 12 years old, but despite his advanced age, he started to recover and changed into the loveliest, silliest dog who yearned to spend his days with people and satisfy his long-standing need for affection.
Sloan’s friends at KC Pet Project knew exactly who to call when it came time for him to leave for his foster home because he was soon thriving there.
The moment Ohlman learned he could legally adopt Sloan, he was ecstatic. The reunion of the two was the sweetest thing ever. Sloan hugged and kissed the man in gratitude after recognizing him as the person who had saved his life. Sloan is enjoying every second of his new life and has been adjusting to his new home beautifully.
“Sloan is an elderly dog who I believe used to belong to a family,” Ohlman said. “His demeanor and actions are proof. Somebody did something very inhumane. I only did the humane thing.”
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