The officer beside Ethan worked quickly, prying the smaller pup’s leg free from the rail. The trapped dog yelped weakly, but then went limp, exhausted. “Alright,” the man said, “we’ve got him.” Ethan scooped the tiny body gently into his hands, the warmth barely there. The first puppy barked once as if to say, Don’t you dare hurt him.
Ethan looked at the trembling little dog. “You’re coming too,” he said softly. And together, man and dog began the desperate run toward the animal control van, leaving behind a silent station full of strangers who had just witnessed something they would never forget.