First Meeting
When Tyler Wilson noticed a lonely dog wandering around the gas station by himself, it broke his heart. He had seen the dog many times here before and he was confused as to why the dog seemed so friendly, but it seemed like nobody would claim him.
In an effort to help the lost dog, Wilson checked the animal's ID tag, what he found brought tears to his eyes.
In January 2017, Tyler Wilson was visiting a gas station in his hometown of Louisville, Kentucky. Although nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary while he was filling up his car, he spotted something strange out of the corner of his eye.
Lonely Yellow Labrador
There on the forecourt was a dog, wandering around by himself.
The pooch he saw was a sweet yellow Labrador Retriever.
Well Known Dog
Although the dog seemed friendly, and seemed to walk right up to Wilson, he was confused as to why the animal was all alone in such a strange place.
Wilson realized that he had seen the dog earlier. He told The Dodo, "I've seen the dog a couple weeks before around that area.
The Friendly Retriver
So when he came up to me at the gas station and sat next to me, I was like, 'This dog has been lost for a while." As a result, Wilson became concerned about the dog's welfare. He wondered if the dog had decided to make the gas station his home, and the young man was unsure how he could help.
While looking down on the Labrador, he noticed something unexpected.
The Blue Collar.
Although it seemed the dog had been a stray, he still wore a collar with a tag handing down from it.
Wilson decided to check the metal disk hanging from his collar for any information he could gather about the dog's home or owner.
Dew The Dog
However, what he read on the tag warmed his heart and he felt a weight lifted off his shoulders.
The ID tag revealed that the dog's name was "Dew". The metal plate read, "I am not lost.
He Was Okay
I like to roam. Tell me to go home." Wilson realized that the dog was simply a free spirit, and this realization came as a huge relief to Wilson.
Wilson told The Dodo that, "Once I saw it, we both looked at each other, and I knew he was okay. It was so cute.
Famous Pup
I pet him and even hugged him. He got me a little wet from the rain, but it was worth it."
Now that Wilson had connected with Dew, Wilson knew he had to learn more about the dog. Curiously enough, he discovered that Dew was famous amongst the locals for his escapades.
Contacted By The Owners
In fact, the lab even had his own Facebook page dedicated to documenting his adventures.
Wilson decided to take his meeting with Dew to social media, tweeting about how he wanted to meet Dew again. Shortly after, the dog's owners contacted him through Twitter.
Dew's Friends
"He is home napping," his owner, Mandey Lee replied. "He had date at the fire department this evening, but he will try to fit you in later this week!"
Even though Dew had countless friends within the town, he always returned home to his family. They told The Dodo, "Dew loves to make new friends.
Interview With Buzzfeed
Fortunately though, Dew is chipped and wears a GPS tracker so when his sneaky little self gets out and about, we always know where he is! He just likes to spread the love."
Lee gave an interview with Buzzfeed, and said about Dew that, "The firehouse guys just love him, he has even been on rides with them.
Dew’s Sister
The ladies on our street will cook extra steak or hamburgers just to save them for when Dew comes by."
The Lees have had Dew for more than six years. They also own a black Labrador retriever named Lili, who they call Dew's sister.
Farm Dog
Apart from his adventures around the town, Dew lives a relatively normal life.
Lee refers to Dew as simple a "family farm dog". When he is out exploring, his owners do everything in their power to make sure that he is safe.
Over 22,000 followers on Facebook.
Lee told Buzzfeed, "He is very monitored, does not go far, is home every night and does not miss a meal."
When Dew is at home, he's not enclosed whatsoever either. The family lives on a 70-acre farm, but although he lives in such a large yard, he just can't resist wandering far and wide to make new friends.
Various Travels
In fact, the dog has touched hearts from all over, gathering over 22,000 followers on Facebook.
The social networking site is also where Dew’s family share photos from his life on the farm. Additionally featured are those documenting his various travels in the nearby area.
Dew Visited a Woman's Porch
And among the many posts on the page is one that reveals the canine’s soft and caring nature.
A post fro January 2017, told the story of when Dew ended up at a woman's house. It read, "A lady called us saying Dew was at her house, She lived two streets over.
A Loving Dog
She was on her porch crying and really going through a hard time. Dew had come up on her porch and consoled her."
Lee said that they told the woman they would come get him if he was bothering her. The post continued, "She said no.
sharing him with the world.
He was her angel that night and she would tell him to go home when she went inside. He is such a loving dog."
So, while letting pet dogs roam free is not recommended, it seems that the whole community keeps a watchful eye on Dew. And, as long as they know he’s safe, the dog’s family don’t mind sharing him with the world.
After all, he simply has too much love to give to keep him to themselves.