A Stray Dog Walks Into A Complete Stranger’s Home At Night And Makes The Boldest Move
For many families, a home invasion is a person's worst nightmare. That's especially true if you have a one-month-old daughter, like couple Emily and Jack Jokinen. But when a stranger entered their home, it wasn't what they had expected.
When a stray dog entered a family's home at 4:00 a.m., the family didn't know what to do. How did the dog get in? Who did she belong to? What were they going to do? Read the story that has banded the internet together to protect this dog.
Intruder Alert
At around 4:00 a.m., Emily Jokinen walked downstairs to fetch a pacifier for her one-month-old daughter. Immediately, she realized that she was not alone. An intruder had walked into her Philadelphia home sometime during the night, and she had no idea how they got in.
She immediately woke up her husband, Jack. Expecting the worse, Jack asked her what was wrong. "The baby is fine," Emily explained, "but there is a puppy in our house."
Confused
Understandably, Jack had no idea what to do. "I wasn't sure — honestly, I was just like, 'What does that mean?'" he later told TODAY. "You said words that I know, but they don't go in that order."
Jack's parents were also visiting that weekend, and he wondered if it was their doing. "I did wonder, like, 'Is this a messed-up Christmas gift?'" he said. But it wasn't a gift--just a stray dog who wandered into the family's home.
The Lost Puppy
"I went downstairs," Jack recalled, "and on the first floor, in the middle of our house, there was sitting what looked to be like a cold, wet puppy." She was hobbling one three legs and seemed visibly malnourished.
Because she was underweight, Jack initially thought that she was a puppy. He tweeted, "I just woke up to this puppy in my house, and we have no idea how it got here." But that didn't give him any answers.
How Did She Get In?
Jack and Emily had no idea how the dog got in. "The front door was locked, the back door was locked, windows closed, everything," Jack said. "There was kind of this mystery puppy in our house, and we had no idea how it got here."
After the family confirmed that no person had entered, they investigated what had happened. Fortunately, the couple had installed security footage in their home. The video contained all the answers.
On The Security Footage
According to the video, the dog hobbled up to the home around 3:15 a.m., looking to escape the rain. After hesitating, she walked through the door--which was wide open. For some reason, their dog Jorge Pawsada (called George) didn't react to the stray.
"We don't know if it was the light, the warmth, smelling George," Jack said. "She came into the house, and then she went out of it, and kind of on our porch, and then she was in the house."
Why Was The Door Open?
But why was the door wide open in the first place? The video explains that as well. That night, Jack had walked his other dog, and he shut the door upon returning. Since the front door has an electric lock, it usually shuts entirely, but it didn't that night.
The strong winds of that cold December night eventually blew the door open. While sleeping upstairs, Jack, Emily, and the baby didn't notice anything. Fortunately, their dog George didn't run out.
Then How Did The Door Lock?
Later, the video explained how the door was locked when the family woke up. Around 3:45 a.m., an unknown neighbor saw the door open. The stranger yelled into the house, asking if everything was okay, which may have woken the baby up.
When he didn't receive a response, the neighbor shut the door for them. The electric lock activated, and the Jokinens were left with a fully-secured house and an unknown dog in their living room.
Now What?
Now, the family had to handle the dog. She didn't act violently toward the humans or George, so the Jokinens didn't kick her out. Instead, Jack googled, "What do you do when you find a dog?"
"There's really no playbook for this," Jack later said. "And surprisingly, we've never found a dog in our house before.” The family landed on two options: call Animal Control or take the dog to the vet. They tried the former first.
Taking Her In
First, the Jokinens called Animal Control. The employee said that they could come over, check for a chip, and take the dog out of the Jokinen's hands. "We didn't like the way that sounded," Jack admitted.
The family understood two things: that this dog was likely a puppy, and that she was injured. They thought that she would end up alone if they had called Animal Control. "We said, at a minimum, let's call a vet," Jack said.
The Diagnosis
Emily and Jack took the dog to an emergency vet for a $72 appointment. The vet revealed several things--first, that the dog wasn't a puppy, but nine years old. Her malnourishment made her critically underweight, only 19 pounds when she should have been between 35 and 40.
To dog also had teeth infections, and injured paw, and several fleas and ticks. She was also not chipped, the veterans said. The Jokinens were left wondering what to do next.
Life Or Death Situation
After the vets gave a diagnosis, Jack and Emily realized how dangerous the situation was. Jack described that they "just kind of woke up." When the couple handled this stray dog, they could only feel ribs.
"This dog can't go back wherever she was, even if there was a chip," Jack said. He said that when looking at the dog, he saw the winter that ravaged Philadelphia. If she hadn't walked through that door, she might not have survived until New Year's.
"It's Your Dog"
Throughout the journey, Jack revealed the story on his Twitter. Since he runs a New York Yankees podcast called George's Box, he had over 35,000 followers. Former Indianapolis Colts player Pat MacAfee retweeted Jack and said that it was "your dog now."
"There was a lot of 'That's your dog,'" Jack recalled. "It really started to feel like she was our dog. Some people said, 'If you can't take this dog, I'll take the dog. She looks scared.'"
Taking In Suzy
Although the internet voted for them keeping the dog, Jack and Emily discussed the matter for a while. Adopting a stray senior dog with several vet bills would be a lot, but they still felt bonded to their little intruder.
Eventually, they decided to keep their unexpected dog. Around that time, New York Yankees sportscaster Suzyn Waldman emailed the Jokinens expressing how kind they were to the dog. They named the dog Suzy Pupman after her.
A Long Road To Recovery
Although Suzy had a new home, he had a long road to recovery. She had to be spayed, re-nourished, vaccinated, groomed, and treated. Her paw infection, teeth damage, heart murmur, and pads missing on her feet would cost a lot more than the $72 vet bill.
Jack told Action News that she needed treatment for a paw infection, hookworm, and dental care. Jack's followers, who were already invested, immediately jumped in to help. Word of the abandoned, malnourished dog spread like wildfire.
Unexpected Charity
Although Jack and Emily didn't expect money, several Twitter users were offering to help with Suzy's medical expenses. Eventually, Jack posted his Paypal and Venmo, and the donations began to pour in.
Jack also uploaded a public spreadsheet detailing how much money he received. Within the week, the couple raised over $25,000. The Jokinens hoped that Suzy's bills wouldn't be that high, and they planned to donate the rest of the funds to charity. They have not decided on an organization yet.
Recovering While Updating Twitter
The Jokinens updated Twitter on Suzy's state. "This dog was in such bad shape. Whoever would've had it is a terrible person," Jack said in an update video. "So, we’ve decided to keep the dog."
As the Jokinens gave Suzy a flea bath and grooming, they reported her progress on Twitter. By this time, Jack's followers were fully invested in this dog. Emily and Jack worked to give Suzy "a dignified end of her life."
Careful Recuperation
To bring Suzy's health back, the Jokinens had to tread carefully. They put her on a low-fat diet via the vet's orders. Slowly, her weight climbed from 19 pounds to the high 30s. She also got much better sleep on a bed than on the street.
With the help of the donations, Suzy received treatment for paw and dental injuries. Jack and Emily still don't know what kind of dog she is; she's likely a terrier and lab mix.
"The Internet's Dog"
Since the internet had an emotional and (sometimes) financial investment in Suzy, the Jokinens updated their followers every step of the way. "Suzy is not really our dog," Jack said during an interview. "She's kind of the Internet's dog at this point."
Since adopting Suzy, Emily and Jack have made an Instagram account for their dog, which has over 43,000 followers. Jack also created follow-up videos on his Twitter to let everyone know that Suzy was doing better.
But Suzy Had Hard Times, Too
Although Suzy reaped many benefits during her new life, she also struggled with the change. She quickly developed separation anxiety and became destructive. One day, Jack came home to Suzy covered in blood because she busted a nail in her frustration.
Fortunately, Suzy's fellow canine George has eased some of her anxiety. Jack and Emily assert that adopting a new dog--especially a senior dog--is a struggle. But to them, "it's a challenge that’s worth it."
The Identity Of The Helpful Stranger
To make this story more heartwarming, Jack and Emily eventually found the stranger who closed their door on that fateful night. A neighborhood Facebook group helped bring the neighbors together. He was 35-year-old Steven Griendling.
"My family could have been murdered if it wasn't for this guy," Jack later said. To give thanks, the Jokinens took Steven out to a steak dinner. Although Steven could have stolen from the home, he went out of his way to help the family.
From Stray To Famous
Suzy's spotlight didn't die down after she was adopted. Her story was featured in the Washington Post, TODAY, ABC, FOX, and CBS Philly. Her photo even made the front page of the Philadelphia News.
Strangers from around the world donated money to support Suzy's recovery, and they all wanted to know how she was doing. Jack posted several update videos to Twitter, thanking his followers for helping and telling everyone how Suzy was adjusting to her new home.
Adjusting To Her New Home
Meanwhile, Suzy had to adjust to her new home. Within two days, she warmed up to the family. Even the Jokinens' current dog, George, gave up his bed for her. The family revealed that she got along great with their one-month-old daughter.
"She's been through a lot," Jack said in an update video on Twitter. "She's not where she should be, health-wise, but she's not where she was, and we're going in the right direction."
A Christmas Miracle
As the story played out, Jack and Emily viewed the situation as a Christmas miracle. "It's the holiday season, and it's not about us," Jack later said. "It's about this dog that people have found faith in."
"We're simply the vessel of this story, and anything we do to keep it going and spread the awareness that there are good people out there," Jack continued. He believes that the fight for Suzy's life brought people together.
Suzy Today
Suzy now lives like she was never a stray in the first place. She enjoys car rides, walking with George, and protecting the baby. She's happy, healthy, and a beloved member of the Jokinen family.
"I hate people say 'Everything happens for a reason,'" Emily wrote in an Instagram post. "But I really do feel like this happened for a reason." Instead of a burglar, Jack and Emily gained a new pet and companion for their daughter.
