Cyclist Gives Piggyback Ride To Puppy Who Desperately Needed Help

There was once a time that this puppy named Columbo didn’t have a friend in the world. Living as a stray in the outskirts of Columbus, Ohio, the little dog’s problems were made even worse after he was apparently hit by a car. But then kindness entered his life — and suddenly everything began to change.

Jarrett Little was on a group bike ride in the area with his friend last week when he decided to stop for a few moments on the path. It was there that he caught sight of Columbo in the distance all alone.

“At first, I thought it was a fox,” Little’s friend, Chris Dixon, told the Ledger-Enquirer. “Then this dog started running across the road toward us. He looked terrible. He was hungry. He was in bad shape, but he seemed happy to see us.”

Columbo was injured, but he eagerly accepted the cyclists’ food and affection. Little knew he needed to do more, and that meant getting creative.

“We couldn’t leave him,” he said.

So, after trying a few methods of carrying the dog on his bike, Little settled on this: placing Columbo’s legs in his rear pockets and letting him ride piggyback style to safety.

From there, the little dog’s luck only got better.

Upon arriving downtown after their 30-minute ride together, Columbo and Little met a woman named Andrea Shaw. She’s from Maine and was just in Ohio for business, but Columbo ran up to her and began licking her as if she were an old friend.

It was love at first sight. When Shaw learned the dog’s story, she immediately knew Columbo belonged in her life. And just like that, the lonely stray had found his forever home.

Before Columbo could start his new life as Shaw’s pet, of course, he’d need to be treated for his injuries.

A trip to an emergency vet to mend two fractures Columbo had suffered set the dog on the path to recovery.

Before long, Columbo was on the road yet again — this time, to rejoin Shaw and meet his new family in Maine.

Now safely in his forever home after that whirlwind journey from stray pup to pet, Columbo still has plenty of healing to do. But he’s getting plenty of love to see him through.

Among those watching and rooting for Columbo’s happy ending is the man whose kindness and compassion got the whole thing started.

“They say the odds of winning the lottery are one in a million. This pup was the winner this week,” Little wrote online. “[An] amazing series of fortunate events.”