It is always smart at the beginning of the year to get at least one phone number from your fellow classmates. Over the course of my college career, I never really had a use for either sending or receiving phone calls/texts from or for a classmate saying why they or I would not be in class. That all changed last week when I got one of those such texts that read, “Hey I found a sick dog on campus and the campus police asked me to take it to the vet.”  

Of course, the text left me wondering why the matter was not carried out by someone else who did not need to be in class at that particular moment, as did the teacher when I explained the situation to him. None the less, once I heard the full story from the classmate later that evening, everything fell into place.

What had happen was that she spotted a dog in the middle of the street stalling traffic. Once she got him out of the street, she noticed that he was friendly, but injured in a way that lead him to collapse. She quickly got the aid of the campus police to assist the situation.

Once they got there, she felt a need to stay with the dog, because of the connection they shared when she got him out of the street. Since the police officers on the scene were animal lovers and understood the value of that connection, they allowed her to take the dog herself to a vet clinic recommended by one of the officers. Once the dog was placed into the back of the car, it was decided that he needed a name, since he had no collar. Since it was the building she was on her way to, she felt it was appropriate to name him Elliott. 

Once they arrived at their destination and had him looked over, suffering from an ear infection and a limp, the student took note of how the dog was reluctant to leave her side, once he came about. This lead to her feeling that he must have been abandoned and that this was probably the nicest he had ever been treated. Unfortunately, she could not stick to his side all day, as she had to get to work, but Elliott stayed on her mind. 

When she managed to return, she pondered if she should adopt him and give him the comfort he so desperately needed. However, she later learned that one of the people who assisted when the dog was retrieved was interested in adopting Elliott, who had a dog of the same breed. When she met him and his wife, she knew in her heart that it was best for Elliott to let this couple have him. After his wife thanked her over and over, Elliott was put into good hands, all thanks to this one student caring for him. 

College is a learning experience much larger than just memorizing study material. It is the study of the human condition and how we apply it to others. Now, not everyone may come to encounter a story about an injured animal, but it goes to show that sometimes in the hustle and bustle of making it to class on time, a person can make a difference. If there is a situation like a dog or even another person in need of help, take the time to help them out, instead of just rushing by.