MUSKEGON, Mich.-- A dog was rescued from a pothole after being hit by a car in Muskegon.
Gizmo was pulled from a pothole on Muskegon Avenue near 8th Street Monday night.
Initially unable to walk, just one day after being hit, Gizmo could be seen chasing veterinarians Ingrid Hutchins and Carin Forberg around Lakeshore Animal Hospital Muskegon for treats.
"He was pretty down and out yesterday," Forberg said. "He was in shock--he was really pale at first--we weren't entirely sure what was going on with him."
The veterinarians said in addition to the shock, Gizmo was brought in with some contusions to his lungs. They also suspected some broken bones due to his inability to walk.
"By last night, he was standing and walking around," Hutchins said. "[He] ate a little bit for us and then this morning he's very bright-eyed."
With no broken bones or internal injuries, there's no doubt things could have been worse for Gizmo if not for the people who came to his rescue.
Abigail Arends and Anna Burnett brought the dog to the animal hospital after finding him in the unlikely place while driving along Muskegon Avenue.
"I saw this little head peek out from a pothole and then from the backseat I hear, 'That's a puppy,'" Arends said. "So, we whipped around the block and went back around."
Arends said another driver followed them. Together, the group stood around the pothole to block traffic as a man pulled Gizmo to safety.
"I was really nervous that he wasn't going to make it," Burnett said.
While the women only spent minutes with Gizmo, there's already an attachment to the pup, at least for one of them. If it turns out Gizmo doesn't have a family who comes forward, Arends said she'd like to adopt him.
"Being there for him and not knowing how many other people passed, how long he actually stayed out there, it was like an instant bond--like a little baby even though he's a puppy," Arends said.
Forberg and Hutchins said the dog doesn't have any identification. They want to remind people to get their pets micro chipped and also to make sure they are wearing tags.
While it's not known exactly what breed Gizmo is or who he belongs to, it's safe to say he's one lucky dog.
"It's cold out. He could've been hypothermic," Hutchins said. "Had they not found him as soon as they did, he might've not done as well."
