“We’re always right where we need to be!”

When Jarrett Little found an injured dog while biking, he piggybacked the 35-pound pup 15 miles into town— right into the arms of another kind stranger who gave him a forever home!

Jarrett Little was biking with a group of cyclists along an off-road trail in Columbia, Georgia, when a dog limped out of the woods.

“He’s injured!” Jarrett exclaimed, coming to a stop.

“He was probably hit by a car,” fellow rider Chris Dixon guessed. And seeing the pup’s ribs, they realized the poor guy had likely been out there, hurt and alone, for some time.

“We need to get him to a vet,” one rider said. After giving him water and energy chews, they all agreed. But they were 15 miles outside of town… the dog could never hobble that far.

“I’ll carry him!” Jarrett volunteered, and hoisted the 35-pound pup onto his back.

Despite being an experienced cyclist, Jarrett went slowly, the pup’s added weight hampering his every movement. And it wasn’t long before, in pain and exhausted, the dog’s strength began to wane.

“Easy does it,” Jarrett soothed, reaching one arm behind his back and grabbing hold of the pooch, steering onehanded the rest of the way.

Finally, after 45 minutes, they made it back to the bike shop where the riders had met up. “I’ll get him more water,” Jarrett said. But the instant the pup’s paws hit the pavement, he dashed away—right into the arms of Andrea Shaw, who was in town from Gorham, Maine, on business. “Wow, you’re very friendly,” she smiled.

“Amazing after all he’s been through,” Chris said, and shared the tale. A lifelong animal lover, Andrea’s heart melted, and she blurted, “I want to help him.”

And to Jarrett and Chris’ amazement, Andrea called her husband, Joel, who not only agreed to pay for the dog’s treatment, he told Andrea they should also give him a home.

So Andrea rushed the dog to the animal ER, where X-rays showed the 5-month-old Great Dane mix’s left hind leg was broken in three places and would require surgery. He also had a broken toe and tooth.

“Whatever he needs,” Andrea said, explaining she planned to adopt the sweet boy since he’d had no microchip, collar or tags.

The pup’s surgery went well, but Andrea just wasn’t sure how she’d get him home. But when a friend involved in animal rescue heard, she set Andrea up with an animal transport group and they agreed to drive him to Maine.

Today, eight months later, Columbo is healed and enjoying life on Andrea and Joel’s farm, called “Perfect Timing.”

“It’s the perfect name for his new home,” smiles Jarrett, who keeps tabs on his pal on the Facebook page “Adventures of Columbo” Andrea created for the pup. “It’s incredible that the moment we reached town, Andrea was right there.”

Andrea agrees. “We were all in the right place at the right time—it was all more than a coincidence!” —Bill Holton