Stopping off at a vending machine is far from a memorable experience. However, all of that changed for one man when he decided to make a pit stop. When he got out to get some soda, he saw something completely unexpected by the vending machine.
20. Heading Home
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BJ Nemeth, a reporter from Atlanta, Georgia, was driving home after attending a work trip. As he was driving, he decided that he would pull over in Alabama to get a drink from a vending machine.
19. Walking Over
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So Nemeth pulled his car over and got out. He found a nearby vending machine and began to walk towards it. That’s when he saw something completely out of the ordinary…
18. Furry Legs
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As Nemeth approached the vending machine he was greeted by an odd sight. There were a pair of furry legs sticking out of the vending machine!
17. Confused
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Upon closer inspection, Nemeth soon realized that the pair of legs obviously belonged to a dog. As he got even closer he saw that the legs looked very similar to his own dog at home. That’s when he began to worry.
16. Worried
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“I was like ‘Oh my God, please, please don’t be dead,” Nemeth told The Dodo. “I took a picture on my phone so the flash would light up, and she just leaned up and looked right at me.”
15. Realization
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Once he saw the dog’s face he knew it wasn’t his dog from home. However, he did also notice that this dog looked like it was in need of help. The poor thing looked so sad and tired.
14. Thinking
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Nemeth figured that someone must have purposely dropped the dog off here. The closest exit was only six miles away and since it was a rest stop there wasn’t too much traffic around.
13. Phone Call
So Nemeth quickly got on the phone and began to call local animal rescues and vet offices. However, since it was so late no one was available to come help. He decided to figure out a new tactic.
12. Getting Closer
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In the meantime, Nemeth decided to earn the dog’s trust. He began to spend some time with her, hoping that if he built up trust he’d be able to pick her up and help her out.
11. No One Else
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“I felt like, ‘If I don’t do this, I don’t think anyone will,’” Nemeth said. “I was not leaving this dog.” So Nemeth quickly got some cheese crackers and decided to win the dog’s heart the old fashioned way: through her stomach.
10. Hesitation
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At first, the dog hesitated to approach Nemeth. However, once she sniffed out the cheese crackers she felt that Nemeth could be trusted. Throughout the rescue, Nemeth was on Twitter documenting the situation.
9. Naming Her
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Nameth decided that he would name the dog, Soda-pup. Everyone on Twitter was so eager to find out more updates on Soda and if she was beginning to trust Nemeth. After Soda finished her snack, she began to fall asleep.
8. Grabbing Her
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Once Soda had fallen asleep, Nemeth ran back into the car to grab a towel from his suitcase. He tossed the towel over Soda and brought her into the car with him. He could tell that she was nervous but she also felt like he was safe.
7. 45 Minutes
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“After about 45 minutes of driving, I start feeling her cold nose touching my elbow,” Nemeth said. “And she was just sitting back there behind me, smiling as big as day. It was in that moment I realized, ‘OK, this will all be good. We just have to get her to a good place.’”
6. Vet Visit
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Nemeth drove all the way to Atlanta without any stops. Once he got to his home he made a place for Soda to stay and brought her to the vet the next day. The vet soon gave him all of the info on Soda.
5. Info
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“She definitely seems too healthy to have been a wild dog her whole life,” Nemeth said. “But she had no collar or microchip, and was very uncomfortable at being on a leash at first. For the first few days she would barely even go to the bathroom.”
4. Finding A Home
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Since Nemeth’s dog, Brisco, is very territorial, he can’t keep Soda for the long run. Instead he has been looking for a forever home for her.
3. Trusted Friend
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So far, Nemeth has gotten in contact with a trusted friend that lives in Dallas, Texas. The friend has agreed to adopting Soda. So Soda will soon be off on the road again to meet her new mom!
2. Adopter
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“[The adopter] was recently widowed within the past two years,” Nemeth said. “I really like the idea of her going to someone who needs her just as much as she needs them.”
1. Updates
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Nemeth plans to continue staying involved in Soda pup’s life as well. He looks forward to getting a ton of updates from her new mom about Soda’s new life!