LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - The thing Shawn Henderson couldn’t get over about Ethan the dog as her family played with him outside the Kentucky Humane Society in Louisville late Monday afternoon was how big he had gotten.
The rescue, who now weighs about 80 pounds and appears to stand about 5 feet tall when on his hind legs, looked to be “like four times bigger, especially in the legs and head” than the last time she’d seen him in the same parking lot, she kept saying.
The last time they saw him - on Jan. 29 - they thought the dog may be dead.
Henderson said her family had just finished dropping off a donation - they’d found some old supplies no longer needed during a recent move - at the Kentucky Humane Society’s main campus when they noticed a figure lying in the parking lot.
They stopped their car to get a closer look. “When I jumped out, he moved a tiny bit, and that’s when I realized he was still with us,” she said.
Henderson, her 11-year-old son, Tatum Hughes, and his dad, David Hughes, moved quickly to alert humane society staff, who quickly whisked away the dog that would soon be named “Ethan” to get life-saving veterinary care and jumpstart a story that’s captured the hearts of many around Louisville in recent weeks.
Ethan, who was 38 pounds when he was discovered, would spend those weeks in critical care at an emergency veterinary hospital before transitioning into the foster home of longtime KHS staffer Jeff Callaway. The Henderson-Hughes, meanwhile, were closely following updates on his condition from the humane society and media.
They were pleased to see him doing well, hitting his goal weight and getting along with Callaway’s other pets. Still, the image of the malnourished dog that couldn’t even stand was hard for the family to process.
“It was scary,” Henderson said. “We were all kind of shaky. We cried a little bit and were truly upset. It was traumatic.”
The ordeal was particularly hard on her son. That’s what gave his grandmother the idea to reach out to the humane society and see if a reunion could be organized in celebration of both Ethan’s recovery and Tatum’s upcoming 12th birthday.
It was an emotional reunion, the family said, as they spent about an hour playing with Ethan and getting to know his caregivers.
“It’s just amazing to see him like this compared to the way he was,” David Hughes said.
“He’s like a different dog,” Henderson added.
Tatum said he was excited to see the kind “VIP treatment” Ethan is getting from his team.
It was a proper early birthday celebration for Tatum as well, complete with a gift from Ethan and his caregivers that included treats and toys for his pets and a “Team Ethan” T-shirt.
Tatum said it was a great way to celebrate but he was nervous that his dog, Digger, would be jealous when he smelled Ethan on his clothes when they got home.
He was particularly fond of what he dubbed Ethan’s “bird call,” a kind of high-pitched squeal the dog made while the two played.
“Maybe he learned how to make it while out on his own,” Tatum guessed.
For Callaway, who said Ethan’s is “the worst case” he’s seen in years of working in animal rescue, it was also a chance to say “thank you” to a family he calls heroes.
“When they brought him in, Ethan didn’t have a name. They didn’t know his story was going to become so popular, but they saved his life … To me they’re amazing,” he said.
Callaway, who is known at the humane society as the “big dog expert,” has gained notoriety as “foster dad” to a now-famous dog. That experience has been “overwhelming” at times, but is ultimately worth it, he said.
“He’s just a big lover,” he said, “he loves to hug on you and cuddle you and lick you. He gets along with everybody.”
He hopes the attention given to Ethan will help raise awareness about the many animals the humane society’s vets save that don’t get as much attention.
“Unfortunately, his story is not the only one. There are other dogs that get dropped off, but hopefully Ethan’s popularity and his story can bring more awareness to the other animals here at the shelter and at other shelters that need help.”
As with a lot of those shelter pets, many mysteries still surround Ethan’s story.
The humane society is awaiting results from a DNA test to determine what breed or breeds he is, and after getting a closer look at his teeth, they now think he is less than a year old rather than 2 to 3 years old like they originally said.
Louisville Metro Animal Services, which handles allegations of animal cruelty and neglect in Jefferson County, is investigating Ethan’s case. Anyone with information is asked to contact the agency at 502-473-PETS.
The humane society has security cameras, but Ethan was left in a “blind spot in the parking lot,” the group said.
But Monday’s visit provided some closure for the family that kept the now-beloved dog from becoming another victim of fatal animal abuse. And the family will continue to follow Ethan’s journey as he prepares to go up for adoption, which could happen as soon as next week.
As for Tatum, he hopes Ethan’s forever family will “always feed him and let him outside when he starts looking at them with those big eyes.” And, of course, appreciate his “bird call.”
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