BEAVER DAM, KY. (WEHT) — The Ohio County Sheriff’s office learned that happiness can come unexpectedly. The county’s Sheriff and a office tax clerk were handling work at an impound lot when they discovered a puppy covered in fleas and ticks.
“And of course, being an animal lover, I holler at him. He sat there for a second and he just come at a dead bolt at us and came to us and started loving on us,” said Adam L. Wright, the Ohio County Sheriff.
The dog’s demeanor and malnourished body prompted the two to seek food and water. Before they were able to leave the lot, Wright says the dog jumped on the side of the vehicle and gave them puppy eyes.
“..Had that please don’t leave me look. ‘I’ve already been left before’,” said Wright.
Once they resumed work, Milo, also known as Jet Black, never left their side. Olivia Milton, the tax clerk with Wright, brought him home. Wright paid for Milo’s veterinarian appointment out of his own pocket.
After the dog was cleaned him up and Milton took notice of how he interacted with her kids, the idea was pitched for “Jet” to become a therapy dog for Ohio County Schools.
“So then, still the question was, what are we going to do with this dog? And so, one of the School Resource Officers, Marlana, she [comes] in. She said ‘hey, I’d like to have the dog. I think he’d be a good fit at the school’ — cause she was playing with him. And it was like man, she’s onto something…”
The dog’s first day on the job was Wednesday at Ohio County Middle School.
The School Resource Officer, who houses the 10-month- old puppy, and works with him daily, says he was socially prepared for a successful first day with the middle schoolers.
“I took him to Walmart. We went to Tractor Supply. He was meeting people before I brought him into the schools. I wanted to make sure that his disposition was on point,” said Marlana Deschaine.
In a few months, Milo will train with an Indiana non-profit called Dogs Helping Heroes. Dogs Helping Heroes will train him to be a certified assistance dog. In the meantime, Deputy Deschaine says students have been responding well to Milo’s presence.
“Oh my gosh. Just absolutely ‘who is this? why is he here? and is he staying? are you staying?’ You know, so they absolutely love him. Everybody — I don’t think there’s a student that has not met him yet,” said Deschaine.
Milo is believed to be a Border Collie/Black Lab mix.
