A dog's tail is wagging in the Southeast Valley, and she has a Maricopa County deputy to thank.
Deputy Brian Bowling was responding to a call when he came across Ginger, stumbling in the middle of the road with a gunshot wound to her head.
The dog "was bleeding from its head and neck," Bowling said. "I just thought: this dog is worth saving."
Bowling, a trained paramedic who also served time in Afghanistan, knew he had to stop the bleeding.
"I got flashbacks [to his time in the service] because we saw military dogs get blown up with IEDs and I thought I had to do anything to save its life," Bowling said.
"I came toward the dog to try and get her out of traffic. She went around me and jumped into the driver's seat," he added.
Ginger was shot by a neighbor for getting loose and wandering into their yard. Special combat gauze helped stop the bleeding, but only surgery could save her.
However, Ginger's foster mother didn't have the money to pay for the operation, so the deputy stepped in again.
"It just didn't seem right for a dog that survived so much to die because the owner didn't have the money to pay for it," he said.
Bowling paid for the surgery out of his own pocket.
"If this man has this kind of empathy and love for a dog, imagine what he has for people and the rest of the world," said Hailey Miller, Ginger's foster mother. "There is such a lesson that can be learned from him."
Miller needs to find a home immediately for Ginger. If you are interested in adopting, email her at haileybmiller@yahoo.com. She is also trying to raise money to pay the deputy back through online donations. Those who would like to contribute can do so by clicking here.
