Lt. Tommy Tolley was touring the adoptable dog kennels at the Brunswick County Animal Protective Services shelter when a staff member walked back carrying a puffball with legs.
The dog – a 7-month-old purebred Pomeranian named Duster – had just been dropped off by his owner. The woman had purchased the puppy from a breeder but felt, later, that he didn’t work in her household. Duster wasn’t house-trained; he was high-energy, too much work. Tolley bent down and scooped up the dog, cradling him like a baby, ruffling the soft puff of fur. Duster watched him calmly.
