Racine sheriff saves severely injured dog on side of the road, family reunited

RACINE, Wis. — The wind was howling at about 25 miles per hour making a chilly 38-degree evening feel much much colder. On the side of the road in Union Grove, was an injured dog lying motionless.

A sergeant with the Racine County Sheriff’s Office was driving down Washington Ave. near N. Raynor Rd. when he spotted the dog. He thought it was dead.

It only took a moment for him to swing the car around, lights flashing, to tend to and respectfully lay man’s best friend to rest. When he got close, the two-year-old pup named Tato showed the officer he was alive.

Cars whizzed by without a clue a rescue was in progress. The officer picked up Tato and put him in the car while whispering, “Hang on little buddy.” For Tato, it probably felt like a long ride to WVRC, a local 24-hour emergency pet care facility, but he made it and the doctors helped to keep him going. According to a release by RCSO, the injuries were not life-threatening, but it will be a long road to recovery.

Tato’s family, worried for their lost dog who got off their property when he was let outside, were reunited after he was taken to the vet — but he was still badly injured.

His pelvic bone was broken in two places and he needed surgery. His family set up a GoFundMe to help pay for the medical expenses, but within a few days, donors helped them surpass their goal of $12,000.

If anyone would like to add to the donations in support of Tato, they can do so here.

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