He Thought He Was Saving a Dog — Until He Read the Note

If only we could hear the inner thoughts of dogs. We imagine what goes through dogs' furry noggins when we gift them with treats or warm belly rubs, or picture what grim thoughts cloud their minds on the torturous drive to the vet. If only we possessed telepathic superpowers or that high-tech dog translator device from 2009s up. Well, Lionel Vitialingam gained this ability, sort of. When Lionel found a mysterious, scraggly dog with a note attached to her collar written from the lonesome mongrel's point of view, he was shocked. As he read the letter, Lionel was on the verge of tears, picturing the tiny dog saying such things. Who was this little dog? And where did she come from? Lionel Vitialingam of Ipoh, Malaysia, was just out on an errand in March 2020, picking up some eggs, shampoo, and Doritos, as we imagine, when the blaring sound of honking sent him spinning around in the parking lot. He looked to the nearby road and saw a beige, floppy-eared dog zigzagging through traffic, clearly panicked and confused. Like the good Samaritan he was, Lionel immediately hopped in his car and chased after the spooked pup, who was running like a drunken pony. She had no idea what she was doing or where she was going. There were cars and bikes going along the street and she was walking right into them like she thought they were family, Lionel told the dodo, clearly already swooning over the pooch. He couldn't bear to watch the helpless doggo weave through the road-bound death trap and once there was a lull in traffic, Lionel pulled over to try and snatch the dog and possibly save her life. Lionel reached his arms out to the sweet creature, who slowly walked toward him and away from the center of the road. Her curly fur was matted and soggy, lord only knows what shenanigans this poor furry angel got into. But the dog wasn't sure if she could trust Lionel, after all, he was just some strange dude to her. For about 10 minutes, the two squared off on the side of the road, the dog staring at him curiously, watching my every pulse, it seemed, said Lionel. After approaching Lionel from the back and giving him a solid sniff, she finally walked around to face him. Once Lionel got a closer look at her, he noticed that there was a damp and tattered note attached to her collar. I'd never come across a flimsy paper note tied around a dog's neck that way, Lionel said. He was perplexed but hopeful. He desperately wanted to help her get back home, as if she were the canine version of E.T. I hoped it would be some form of contact information, some way for me to get the little dog back to some home that was looking anxiously for her, Lionel said. Sadly, that wasn't the case. When Lionel began reading the letter, which was typed in cheesy comic sans, his heart instantly dropped. Written from Siggy the dog's perspective, every word felt like a brutal gut punch. I broke down in tears, one hand firmly grasping onto her sticky knots of fur, Lionel wrote in a detailed Facebook status. Whether or not he's a dog person, he's clearly a sensitive guy with a big old heart. Hi, my name's Siggy, the note began, and I'm the most loving and attentive doggy you'll ever see. My master is very sorry he had to leave me here with you, but he just can't look after me anymore. I'm very sorry about that, as I am sure he is too. Please take me into your home. Please let me be a part of your family. Please love me. I'm a golden doodle, I'm five years old this year, and I have not been neutered. I'm very nice, I haven't bitten anyone ever. The heart-wrenching note continued. After shedding an ocean of tears on the side of the road, Lionel gently picked up the wide-eyed pupper and plopped her in his car. After a few hours of anticipated uneasiness, Siggy eventually felt comfortable with Lionel, realizing that she was in good hands. Soon enough, Siggy wouldn't let her knight in shining armor out of her sight. I was surprised by how easy it was to get her into my arms and into the bathroom for a warm shower that first night, Lionel said. Siggy was uber grateful for Lionel, and she made sure she proved it to him. When she's with me, she's calm. She just sits near or on me and either falls asleep or tries to get my attention by nibbling on my fingers or yelping and tugging at my shirt, explained Lionel. Sadly, Lionel's current rescue dog, Sammo, wasn't too happy with the new four-legged gal in town. Lionel soon realized that this new roommate situation just wasn't going to work. Though it'd be devastating to let Siggy go, he had a plan for her. Lionel proposed that his brother adopt Siggy, and he was thankfully thrilled with the idea. He'll be taking her in as soon as the COVID-19 movement control order here in Malaysia ends, Lionel relayed. And according to Lionel, the two will be a perfect match because they share some personality traits. Lionel Vidialingam urges people to get a pet only when they are ready for a full-on commitment. He hopes that Siggy's rescue tale shows that recklessly abandoning a pet is never the answer. An animal shelter or rescue group would gladly help find the animal a new home if need be. This little girl found me, and thank God for that. I still shudder to think of others out there just like her, with or without a name, Lionel wrote in his Facebook status. Still, hearing stories about found dogs gave him hope for all the lost pooches in the world. Christopher assumed it would be just another mundane day in Washington, D.C. He hopped in his electric blue pickup truck in hopes of carrying on his merry way to work, and his drive was just like any other, at first. But the army veteran and founder of High Ground Veterans was stopped in his tracks when he saw a small animal scamper past his vehicle. Oddly, the animal appeared to be wearing clothes. It was a sight that bewildered him. Chris pulled over and slammed his truck into park, his eyes not leaving what turned out to be a disoriented little dog in powder blue PJs. Upon approaching the pump, it was clear the furball was nervous, but nevertheless interested in Chris' help. A confused Chris picked up the pooch, who turned out to be a docile angel, and brought him to the safety of his truck. The two stared at each other for a moment before Chris whipped up a makeshift leash for the camel-colored dog out of parachute cord. Hoping to find the dog's owner, Chris let the dog lead the way on an hours-long aimless walk. We probably walked a mile in circles, Chris said. He didn't seem to recognize any house or make any attempt to run up on anyone's front porch. After a failed mission, they headed back to Chris' truck. When the dog, now more comfortable, nuzzled up to his hero, Chris knew he had no choice but to take the dog to work. He couldn't deny he was looking forward to having an office buddy. Before taking the dog into the office, Chris called the number on the dog's rabies vaccine tag to see if he could obtain any information on who the lonely mutt belonged to. He found out that the mongrel was just 8 months old and adorably named Frosting. Though the company promised it would contact Frosting's owner, it simply couldn't give Chris any confidential information. So all the duo could do then was wait and tweet. Chris thought that perhaps the internet could help locate Frosting's owner. A cocky Chris was nearly positive that he'd get a speedy Twitter response to his explanatory tweet, but alas, goose hang. He wrote that he'd hold the dog until noon, when nearby animal shelters opened up their doors. Until then, Frosting would spend the day in Chris' office. Soon enough, Chris realized that Frosting was a very good boy, but a clingy good boy. He wouldn't allow any space between him and Chris, always ecstatically sprawling out on his feet or his lap, which made work sort of difficult. I'd try to use my standing desk and he would stand up and put his paws on me, Chris said of his new bunny. As it turned out, he and his wife had coincidentally planned to adopt a dog just a month later. We were looking for a small dog, a dachshund, who would be easy to travel with, Chris said. So as he started thinking about the possibility of nobody coming to claim sweet little Frosting, the more he liked the idea. At the time, Chris was staying at a summer rental property that was strict about its no dogs policy, so Frosting had to spend that first night at Chris' friend's house. Frosting, understandably, did not enjoy being ripped away from his new adopted dad. The dog is very, very, very bonded with me, Chris explained. As soon as I left, he was glued to the window, looking to see where I went, and in the morning, he was super excited to see me. Frosting surely didn't understand Chris would only be gone for a measly few hours. Still, Chris had to admit that Frosting's separation anxiety was cute, and that he too missed the pooch that night. Considering their newfound connection, there's no doubt that Chris was more than elated when a week passed without anyone claiming poor Frosting. My wife is already attached to the dog. She might die of a broken heart if we couldn't keep him, said Christopher. Though he joked about his smitten spouse, he couldn't imagine letting go of his new friend. He dreaded having to return the pooch. The curious case of Frosting was a bizarre one. Where were his owners? Why hadn't anyone contacted Chris? Why was Frosting wearing suspiciously clean pajamas when Chris found him? Though there were questions, Chris no longer cared about the answers. He's nice, quiet, and well-behaved. Seems like he'll be the perfect office dog, Chris happily said. It looked like the Tacoma resident and his giddy wife were set on adopting the pupper who seemingly appeared out of thin air. They felt that the name Frosting was still a good fit for the doggo, especially considering the good boy was nearly sweet enough to eat. Together, Chris and his wife bought Frosting a new tag to commemorate his gleeful homecoming. Chris knew the strange encounter with Frosting was a gift, and fate must have had something to do with it. He and his wife never had to go pick out a dog, because in reality, Frosting picked them. Though Frosting had a run-in with his kind future owner, not all lost dogs are that fortunate. In October of 2016, 2-year-old Black Lab Bandit was brought by his owner to the local animal hospital in Gardiner, New York. Nobody expected him to suddenly disappear. Somehow he escaped. Bandit's family searched far and wide for their beloved pup, all to no avail. The woods where he'd escaped were impossibly deep, and the chances of locating him there dwindled by the day. Bandit's family couldn't stand the thought of him being lost in the woods all alone. Without any previously learned survival skills, managing to live from day to day would be far from easy for the young dog. As the months dragged on, a few pedestrians mentioned seeing a lone black dog wandering in the woods, but no one was ever able to track him down to find out if he was ever okay. That all changed, however, in March of 2018. A concerned motorist spotted a dog that looked an awful lot like Bandit, and managed to get close enough to see that he was still wearing his tags. Clearly, the stray needed help, whoever it was, so the person called Nicole Asher of Buddha Dog Rescue and Recovery. After receiving the call, Nicole knew she had to act fast, especially since she figured the dog was going to retreat back into the woods. We went and set up a trap and surveillance camera in the woods immediately. She explained of her plan. When I heard he was wearing a collar, I couldn't wait to find out who he really was and where he came from. I was hopeful we could reunite him with his family, Nicole added. Would she be able to find Bandit? With the help of her DIY surveillance system, Nicole managed to track the pup for the next few days. She even brought a variety of toys, bones, and food for him to eat. Still, he didn't fall for her trap. Growing frustrated by the lack of success in capturing the dog, Nicole decided to place a fenced enclosure in the woods, put treats in it, and wait for him to waltz inside. Would her crazy plan actually work? At first, the dog seemed a bit put off by the appearance of the new trap. He was very skittish, so everything new we'd introduced to his area would spook him, Nicole remembered. Thankfully, that was about to change. After about five days, the stray finally seemed to be comfortable with the enclosure. Slowly but surely, he began inching his way through the doorway, though never fully entering. Watching his antics on video were a constant source of amusement, Nicole recalled. He would chase the critters away from his enclosure, play with toys that we left for him, and do his little playful dance in front of the enclosure. Whenever any other wild animal showed an interest in his food, the pup was quick to scare them off. He'd stand there barking with his chest puffed out and tail high. He was always so proud that he chased them off. You could tell he was such a character, Nicole said. As March was drawing to a close, Nicole began to fear that the dog would never enter the enclosure completely. Then, just when hope was nearly lost, he decided to walk right inside. Her plan had worked. At that, Nicole rushed into the woods as quickly as possible. She was incredibly anxious to meet him in person for the first time. When she arrived, she took one look at his collar and called his owner to let them know she'd found him. Lo and behold, it was Bandit. Unfortunately, Bandit's family claimed they were no longer able to care for him. Their lifestyle had changed and they just couldn't take him, Nicole mentioned. They surrendered him to us right away. Apparently, this wasn't the first time he'd ran away for a long period of time either. Bandit was taken in by a partner of Nicole's rescue called Ramapo-Bergen Animal Refuge in Oakland, New Jersey. Aside from a tick-borne illness, the veterinarian there was shocked to find that he didn't appear to be underweight or malnourished at all. In fact, he was a totally healthy weight, something they attributed to him choosing to live in a section of the woods where hunters often left scraps of meat. Still, everything wasn't perfect as Bandit remained very skittish. Despite his being uncomfortable around humans, the veterinarian still had high hopes that Bandit would start to warm up to them, especially since Nicole mentioned how playful he'd been in the woods. You can tell that he's a silly, lovable boy on the inside, Nicole explained. I think he's given a ton of people hope who have lost dogs out there. They're very resilient and smarter than we give them credit for. Plenty of dogs have proved Nicole's theory with stunning results. Buenos Aires is home to nearly 3 million people, but they're not the only inhabitants. Countless stray dogs roam the city but prefer to stick to side streets and back alleyways. There, they live off whatever they can get their paws on. One dog, nicknamed Way, only ever knew the stray lifestyle. It was a struggle to survive and most people tended to ignore her, but one winter night she suddenly attracted an unusual amount of attention. An Argentinian woman named Alejandria Griffin walked home through the brisk wind. She couldn't wait to get inside and warm up. However, something strange made her stop in her tracks. As she passed by a dingy alley, Alejandria heard an unusual whimpering sound. The lifelong Buenos Aires resident was accustomed to the sounds of stray dogs, but this noise seemed different. Praying she wasn't wandering into a bad situation, Alejandria crept down the alleyway. The whimpering grew louder and louder. She stopped at a cloth bundle on the ground and gasped when she peeled back the first layer. Much to her surprise, Alejandria came face to face with a new-born baby surrounded by puppies. It was an unbelievable sight. As she wondered how this could have happened, Way poked her head out from behind a dumpster. Alejandria called the authorities, who immediately whisked the infant off to a hospital. Fortunately, he appeared to be in a decent condition. They tried to piece together where the baby came from and how he ended up in a den of stray dogs. Police searched the alley for clues, which turned out to be scant. The only explanation was that a negligent mother left the newborn out in the streets. He likely would have perished in the elements if not for the intervention of one hero. Way, coming across the baby, felt her maternal instincts kick in. She picked up the baby and surrounded him with her own puppies, keeping them warm through the night. Following tips from people in the neighborhood, police tracked down and arrested the mother who abandoned her child. Though Way herself was a lifelong victim of neglect, her compassion and motherly instincts never wavered. Without her heroics, the baby would have almost certainly come to a tragic end. For dogs that are fortunate enough to belong to loving family, they are usually regarded with much affection, table-side scraps, and lots and lots of pets. But when was the last time we really considered a dog's capacity to truly affect us, or even their capacity to save us? Catherine Svilocik from Australia was an avid dog lover and a believer in their goodness. So when it came time to welcome her daughter Charlotte into the world, she figured what better way for her daughter to grow up than with a loyal pup by her side. That's why one day she brought home Khan. A few neighbors scoffed at the fact that Catherine got a Doberman, but she told herself that Khan would make the perfect family dog. For one instant, however, she came to really regret that thought. One afternoon, Catherine was doing chores in the house when she heard Khan go berserk. She'd never heard him make that kind of sound before. The panicked mother dropped everything and sprinted outside. Shaking, Catherine saw that Khan had knocked her daughter to the ground. Charlotte wept and trembled in fear. Catherine's first thought was that she'd have to send the Doberman away, but then she noticed something that sent shivers down her spine. Catherine couldn't take her eyes off the mulga snake slithering out of their yard. It must have been stalking Charlotte until Khan chased it away. She embraced Khan for his heroics, though her hand came away covered in blood. In defending Charlotte, the dog had been the victim of a snake bite. Catherine tossed him in the car and sped to the vet with every second more precious than the last. Even if he survived, Khan could be paralyzed for the rest of his life. Once the vet administered an antidote, Catherine could only hope they weren't too late. They sent her home with instructions to return the next morning. There was no guarantee Khan would still be there when she returned. After a sleepless night, Catherine and Charlotte returned to the vet's office to hear some very good news. Khan pulled through. If Khan wants a gold bowl, Khan gets it, gushed Catherine. We owe him for the rest of his life. Khan continued to stick by Charlotte's side as she grew older. Fortunately, neither of them ran into any more life or death situations. That makes sense, since any mulga snakes in the area learned to keep their distance. Looking back on that brush with danger, Catherine realized that adding Khan to the family was one of the best decisions she ever made. Of course, you never know quite what you'll get when adopting a pet. Without having raised the animal, it's hard to tell how well they'll transition into your home. But Jenna Brousseau and her husband, Eric, didn't let this bother them when they decided to welcome Duke into their growing family. After being passed around from animal shelter to animal shelter, Duke was brought home in 2006. Right away, the Brousseaus lauded him not only for his obedience, but also how well he got along with the couple's young son and newborn daughter. On a recent night, however, Jenna noticed Duke was acting strangely. Suddenly, he jumped up onto the bed and started shaking uncontrollably. Given that this was a far cry from his typical behavior, the couple sensed something was seriously wrong. At first, Jenna and Eric wrote off Duke's behavior as nothing serious. They even tried to push him off their bed so they could get back to sleep. But he was persistent, and every time, he'd jump back up and start shivering. He started shaking, as if there was a storm coming. Jenna recalled of the frightening incident that took place in the middle of the night. Clearly something was the matter, and they needed to know what, fast. After a few moments, the couple began to realize that their dog was trying to tell them something, and they instinctively thought of their baby daughter, Harper. Had their dog really been so perceptive that he could sense something was wrong with their child? At that, Jenna and her husband rushed to their 9-week-old daughter's bedroom to see if there was something the matter. There she was, lying in her crib, but something was clearly not right. What they discovered terrified them. Harper had stopped breathing and was lying motionless in her crib, and clearly Duke was trying to tell them about it. They had no time to feel relieved, however. This was a life-or-death situation. Jenna lifted her daughter and started to pat her on the back, hoping she'd start to breathe again. Meanwhile, Eric hurriedly dialed 911 to call emergency responders to their home as soon as possible. With their newborn daughter's life at stake, Jenna and Eric were willing to go to any length to rescue her. They continued to try and pat Harper's back, hoping and praying that something would cause her to start breathing. With each excruciating moment, the family grew more and more horrified. Had they found poor Harper in time to save her life, or would it be too late? It was a scenario no parent would want to be in. A few moments later, and much to the relief of Jenna and Eric, Harper began to breathe. There had clearly been something lodged in her throat, but there was nothing in her crib to suggest she'd eaten anything. That was when Jenna and Eric realized that Harper must have suffered from acid reflux. They could only assume that something had upset her stomach while she slept, and she began to choke, which stopped her breathing. Luckily, Duke was around. The parents were forever indebted to their beloved rescue dog. We rescued him and he reciprocated and rescued our daughter, Jenna said of the alert pooch. Duke, without a doubt, is a hero to us. He is our family's hero. Duke's story was incredible in its own right. Just before the Brousseau family adopted him, poor Duke had been passed around from shelter to shelter. In fact, had they not taken him in, he probably would have been euthanized. We could never justify spending money on an animal when there are so many animals that need rescuing, Jenna said during an interview. We've always felt from the beginning that Duke was appreciative of us rescuing him. He's the perfect dog, Jenna said. He was meant to be ours. I tell him all the time, you were born in mommy's heart. She hoped that Duke's story would encourage more people to adopt a pet of their own. If Jenna and Eric hadn't decided to adopt Duke, there's really no saying what could have happened. One thing was clear though, they know that choosing to bring him home was likely one of the best decisions they'd ever made. There was no specific reason as to what caused Duke to notice Harper had stopped breathing. Whether it was a sixth sense or animal instinct, they couldn't be sure. But what he did certainly prove that no matter what, he was a hero. The love and affection that Jenna's family had for Duke was something that couldn't be captured by words alone. You just have to see it in their faces and hear it for yourself. See the video below for a look at the original news broadcast of this story.