Trio of trucking chihuahuas cared for by local animal shelter while trucker recovers from stroke

A trio of trucking chihuahuas has been reunited with their driver after the driver suffered a stroke and had to be hospitalized. 

On Tuesday, March 18th, a truck driver from Manitoba was working in Medford, Wisconsin when he suffered a minor stroke. He was rushed to a nearby hospital, but was forced to leave his trio of trucking chihuahuas in his rig while he received treatment. 

According to WJFW12, shortly after the driver was hospitalized, his dispatcher contacted a local animal shelter in hopes that they would care for the temporarily abandoned dogs, so shelter manager Scott Schultz jumped into action. 

“From the time he went in they were sitting there, they had food and water, and when I pulled up they were sitting there on the dash, where they usually sleep,” Schultz said. “The truck was supposed to be unlocked, but the dogs had locked it somehow.”

Schultz was able to free the dogs and bring them back to the shelter, where they were cared for until the driver was released. That following Thursday, March 19th, Schultz met the truck driver and his wife back at the truck stop where he had rescued the dogs. 

“As soon as I opened up the door of the van, and the kennel, they just jumped in his arms,” he said. “You could see the smile on his face as soon as they saw him, you could tell he was definitely happy and the dogs—you couldn’t tell who was happier more.”

The couple then treated Schultz to breakfast, and promised to keep in touch. We’re just glad everything turned out okay for the dogs and the driver.