You can’t achieve success overnight, but if you struggle working from the bottom to the top for years, you deserve what you worked for. Many working dogs are trained almost their whole life, born and bred for the courageous duty they will have on their way.
Here’s the inspiring story of Maggie, a shelter dog from Owego, New York, who strives tirelessly to reach where she is now.
In her early years, Maggie — a mixed breed of Pit Bull and Belgian Malinois was a stray dog living on the streets, and no one could care for her. After years of being homeless, Maggie was adopted by a family who brought her into a boarding facility and abandoned her.
For the second time around, after Maggie returned to the shelter, a family adopted her, but sadly, they eventually returned Maggie to the shelter.
At a very young age, she experienced heartbreaks after these two ill-fated adoptions. Luckily, fate has its twists and turns. The Southern Tier K-9 Association learned about Maggie as a high-energy dog who relocated from different shelters and thought she might have the potential to be a dog hero.
A police officer and K-9 handler, Andy Pike from the Owego Police Department, shared his first encounter with Maggie.
“They evaluated her and believed she had the potential to be a police K-9. They trained her for a few months and then passed her on to me,” he said in an interview.
Maggie’s positive attitude makes her a significant candidate for specialized police work. Maggie is still trained in narcotics detection and tracking work by the Southern Tier K-9 Association. There’s nothing more important than working with someone you are comfortable with, just like Maggie and Officer Pike, her handler who continuously works to strengthen their relationship and prepare her for her new job.
In an interview, Pike said, “I think the bond between us is great. She is already very affectionate towards me. Sometimes, when I make a little movement, she gets up and is ready to do something. The bond between us developed quickly.”
Most significantly, Maggie found a home where she could feel safe and became a new Officer Pike family member. If you’d like to know more about Maggie and Officer Pike’s next adventures and keep you posted, follow their social media accounts here.
Photo courtesy of Maggie’s Facebook page.
Thanks to I Heart Dogs for sharing the original story.
