Emergency medical staff members at the Community Hospital in Anderson, Indiana were no doubt sure that they'd seen, and treated, it all – that is, until they had a rather unusual visitor in the early hours of last Thursday morning: a black Labrador Retriever by the name of Capone.
As dawn was breaking over the ER on Thursday morning, the Labrador wandered into the building sporting injuries to his paw, shoulder, neck, and eye – all consistent with being hit by a car. While more used to treating patients of the two-legged variety, hospital staff made sure that the pup was warm, comfortable, and hydrated, before taking him to see a local vet as soon as the practice opened.
Dr. Thomas Short, who was on shift at the time, later told FOX59: "He literally walked straight up like he knew he was coming to the right place. [He was] a super-friendly dog and he was excited to see people."
Capone's story has a happy ending; following a Facebook appeal by hospital staff, he was later reunited with his worried pet parent, Nick Karagianis. According to Nick, Capone managed to slip out of his collar after his leash became tangled around a telegraph pole during a late night walk: "Usually he comes right back," Nick explained. "[A] dog checking himself into the hospital. It blows the mind."
Staff at the hospital agreed to cover the costs of the pup's medical treatment in return for his pet parent ensuring that he was micro-chipped straight away, no doubt relieving a huge weight from Nick's mind.
We're so glad that everything worked out well for both pet parent and dog. We wish Capone all the best for the future – he's certainly one smart pup.
Photo facebook.com/CommunityAnderson
