33-year-old Tanner Stichka died after he was shot during an altercation at a Walmart. It’s unclear what led to this violent action, but amid it all, someone was forgotten. Stichka’s dog, Zeke the Husky, was left alone in a hot car for over an hour. He had no idea that his human wouldn’t be returning. So, he kept waiting patiently until someone spotted him and called the police.
Thanks to kind officers and generous strangers, Zeke is now in good health with Stichka’s family. So, he won’t have to go through the transition alone.
A Dog Loses His Human
In many cases, humans are the ones who have to say goodbye to their loving canines. Yet, in a turn of events, a heartbroken Husky’s human died suddenly. Stichka was shot by Robert D. Weiser, who was in a vehicle outside the Walmart entrance. Weiser was supposedly there to drop pharmaceuticals off at the pharmacy.
It all happened so fast that no one knew the details of what went down. And since no one was there with Stichka, they didn’t know who he was. What’s even worse is that no one knew that Zeke was sitting alone in his dad’s hot car. Zeke thought his human would be there at any moment, but he ended up waiting alone for 90 minutes.
Eventually, someone spotted Zeke in the car and called the police since temperatures were in the 90s. The car was unlocked, so officers took Zeke out and rushed him to the vet.
“About an hour and a half after the shooting, we got a call about Zeke in a hot car. When officers arrived, the door was unlocked and they were able to remove him and transport him to a local vet,” the Springfield, MO Police Department wrote on Facebook.
Fighting for Zeke
Zeke is doing much better since his vet visit, and he’s now staying with some of Stichka’s family members. At the vet, a kind stranger even offered to donate $100 to Zeke’s care.
Those who knew Stichka and Zeke are relieved to hear that the dog is okay despite everything. Many strangers question why Zeke was alone in a hot car, but friends and family assure everyone that it’s likely a misunderstanding. They know that Stichka loved Zeke very much and would never do anything to harm him. After all, we don’t know why he got out of the car and interacted with Weiser. Of course, dog parents should still remember to never leave their dogs in hot cars, even for a few minutes.
“We, Tanner’s family, can’t thank the men and women of the Springfield dept. [enough] for all they have done and continue to do for us,” Rich Stichka commented. “The people of Springfield should take pride of these officers and all they do, including taking care of a very lonely dog. He will forever be a part of our family.”
Weiser was arrested for suspicion of second-degree murder. Yet, he was later released because prosecutors chose not to charge him. It’s unclear exactly what happened that day, but at least the innocent dog is healthy and safe. He’ll miss his dad greatly, but he’ll always be surrounded by humans who love him.
H/T: westernjournal.com
Featured Image: @SGFPolice/Facebook
