SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — It’s a story that’s captured the hearts of Watertown residents. A stray dog that didn’t trust anyone found an unlikely friendship with a stranger on the street.
A stray dog, who became known to many as Gypsy, had been on the run around Watertown for months.
“I see her all the time. She’s in our neighborhood. So for the last five months, we would randomly see her,” Mariah Jennings said.
On a missing pets Facebook page, post after post about Gypsy were published, with many people talking back and forth on how to deal with the situation.
“The thing on the Facebook page was to say, like, just ignore her. We’re trying to trap her. We’re trying to keep her in the same area and eventually trying to just get her into a trap because no, literally nobody could get their hands on her. So that’s the only way that you can get a hold of those dogs usually,” Jennings said.
Mariah Jennings was one of those people trying to help capture Gypsy. On the last day Gypsy was on the run, Jennings saw her in the parking lot of a grocery store.
“She was getting really cold. Her paws were being lifted up and she was like, so I’m like, Oh, this poor dog. I wish somebody like, I wish you would just let us help her,” Jennings said.
But Gypsy wasn’t accepting any help. Jennings proceeded to go about her day when she saw Gypsy again, but this time the dog wasn’t alone.
“I got in my car, drove down the street, and that’s when I saw her following Zach down the road. And she was like weaving in between his legs and like, rubbing up on her on his legs,” Jennings said.
As Jennings continued to follow the duo, she saw something that resembled a miracle.
“He stopped, bent down. And I had just watched ten people like try to catch her. He bent down like pat her on the face and then kissed her on the forehead. And I was like, Oh, it’s like, we know that this dog’s been on the run for however long. And he could, he could touch her,” Jennings said.
That’s when she contacted the police and got Zach involved. The police asked Zach if he would help capture Gypsy, who was waiting outside of his house for him.
“And they told me to do that if I was be willing to go put one end the leash over her head, around her neck. Then kind of tighten it, and then it’s like kind of like kind of with a leash on guide the stray over to a cruiser,” Zachary Anderson said, “I did kind of have a bit of a failed trying to get her head through the leash… I managed to successfully get a say in the leash the second time around.”
“Zach was the one the only one who could do it because I mean, the minute she even saw the police showed up, she was going to bolt like she knew she was like, oh, no. And he called to her. He came right to him. Like, it’s just like the whole thing is just incredible,” Jennings said.
“Good work, Zach,” Watertown Police Officer said.
“Zach, what’s your favorite soda-like drink?” Watertown Police Officer said.
“Mountain Dew,” replied Zach
“…I think that’s deserving of something,” the officer said.
It’s not only the police officer who thought Zach was deserving. Since Gypsy was so well known in the community, people wanted to thank him for his heroics.
“Within a day, about a day, we raised $250 for him for the basket, and then another $150 for Gypsy, which somebody is going to match and end up being $300 for her care,” Jennings said.
And I bet you’re wondering how Gypsy is doing now. Right now, she’s at the Glacial Lakes Humane Society.
“She’s been doing really, really good there and it sounded like almost immediately she was letting people pet her. She was like like walking up and asking for pets and stuff. So they were they were really surprised that basically that she kind of opened up as soon as she got there. It was like she could finally relax. And then when they caught her, apparently she was falling asleep in the in Shawna’s hands, just so tired,” Jennings said.
Showing that it just took the right person to show Gypsy the good in humanity.
“The dog could definitely tell that he was a good human. And I think because he wasn’t like in her face trying to like, like get her that she just gravitated towards him because he is just somebody that was like, well, hi, come on, let’s go for a walk and has somebody to hang out with him while he’s walking,” Jennings said.
“I try to really I try to really just set out good, positive vibes as much as possible,” Zach said.
With the money that has been raised for Gypsy, there is also 6 weeks of obedience training that has been donated. The Glacial Lakes Humane Society is accepting applications for her adoption.
