DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — Her name is Miracle, because she embodies second chances.
What You Need To Know
- Miracle spent months at Animal Services after abuse from previous owner
- She was tossed off 2nd-floor balcony and miraculously not seriously hurt
- Ted, a vet, bonded with Miracle, and he and wife took her home Thursday
The 3-year-old German shepherd began her new life as a service dog Thursday, going home with a combat veteran and his family after spending the past few months with Volusia County Animal Services.
“Today is the first day of the rest of Miracle's life,” shelter Director Adam Leath said.
But Miracle's previous life is one of abuse and heartbreak.
In December, a deputy's body camera video captured the moment the dog's owner threw her off the second story of a motel when confronted by deputies.
“Just like her name, that day was truly a miracle that that she did not sustain any injuries,” Leath said.
Since then, Miracle has been in the care of Animal Services Field Supervisor Alicia Dease. She said hundreds have tried to adopt Miracle since seeing the video.
But Dease and her team said they just knew Ted, an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran, and wife Bridget were the right family.
Animal Control Officers have been taking care of Miracle for the last 3 months. When they introduced her to Ted, they knew they found her match. Having seen the video of Miracle’s abuse, Ted says he is looking forward to a brighter future for them both @MyNews13 #News13Volusia pic.twitter.com/TCOorGhMhR
— Nicole Griffin (@NicoleNews13) March 18, 2021
Ted's last name is being withheld to protect Miracle. The dog's previous owner is barred from having any animals for five years and ordered to pay over $1,100.
"Dogs talk to you. She never talked to anybody but me, but she talks to him. She has a lot to say. She gives a lot of kisses and she worships him already, the same as she did me ... and I am happy for that,” Dease said.
“We hit it off right away. She wanted to roughhouse with me, and I wanted to roughhouse with her,” said Ted, who had been searching far and wide for a service dog like Miracle.
"It helps me so I am not so scared when I am out somewhere with people that I don’t know," he said. "If I'm with a group of veterans, I know I am OK, because I know they’ve got my 'six.' But with her, having a service dog in general just helps me feel more relaxed, because I know she is definitely going to take care of me.
"If I get a little anxious or upset or anything, she is going to calm me down. I know it, and that's the great thing about having her.”
Ted said he saw the video of what happened to Miracle a few months ago but didn’t realize it was the same pup until after meeting her.
“I just don’t know why anybody would want to do that,” Ted said.
Despite their hardships, they’ve finally found each other.
“It's just something about her — when we saw each other, we just clicked, " Ted said.
"It is the first dog I have ever seen him bond that quickly with,” Bridget added.
Animal Services says despite Miracle's incident, animal abuse cases have decreased and adoptions have surged during the pandemic.
A bipartisan group of U.S. representatives has reintroduce the PAWS Act, which would provide federal funding to help eligible veterans get service dogs.