As an animal lover, it goes without saying that your pet’s well-being is very important to you. You would do anything to make sure your dog or cat is taken care of, but sometimes mother nature has a different plan.

When a recent snowstorm hit western North Carolina, Reginald Spencer went to check on his elderly mother and found his dog needing urgent care. It appeared that Trooper, Spencer’s Yorkie, was struggling to breathe. With the roads completed iced over and dangerous to drive on that night, what could he do? Call for help, and luckily, Animal Enforcement officer Jason Stepp came to the rescue. Even with the county animal enforcement officers being swamped with animal welfare checks due to the snow storm, Stepp still found the time to rush the dog to the veterinary’s office.

“Everybody was iced-in, frozen,” Spencer told News 13. “Fire department was busy. He’s [Trooper] suffocating and dying before my very eyes. I called and begged the sheriff’s department, and they sent a four-wheel drive.”

Animal Enforcement Officer, Jason Stepp, drove Spencer and Trooper to the veterinary office. The pup is now in Intensive Care for pneumonia and getting the treatment he so desperately needed. 

 “This is like one of our children, you know. He saved my child. Thank you,” Spencer said. “Words can’t express when someone saves something you love and care so much about.”

We are thankful Trooper is at the veterinary office, but according to Lindsay Martin, one of the veterinary nurses, he isn’t out of danger quite yet. “It’s really a day to day thing right now. We have him on oxygen. He can’t leave oxygen without having a hard time breathing,” she said.

The Spencer family faces thousands of dollars in veterinary costs. If you would like to make an “angel fund” donation on Troopers behalf, Western Carolina Regional Animal Hospital says you can contact the clinic at 828-697-7767. Every little bit helps!

All Image Source: WLOS