It can take time, patience, and a pair of eagle eyes to help a stray dog, but every now and then, the dog makes their rescuer’s job as easy as possible. This is precisely what happened to Amy Kanakuri, a runner living on O’ahu, who made an unexpected friend during a routine morning run on February 5.
Amy was pleasantly surprised when a stray dog began running alongside her for a brief visit, but she never expected what would happen next. When she couldn’t stop thinking about the friendly dog, she knew she had to go back to see if she was OK!
This sweet stray pup couldn’t have made it any easier for her rescuer! Amy was able to approach her, pet her, and even pick her up with no trouble whatsoever. Clearly, the dog knew she was in good hands, and she was ready to be rescued.
“She probably kept going back to the same spot because that’s where [someone] dumped her and she thought they’d come back,” commented @sarahcarroll716. “Thank you for saving her!”
Related: 4 Malnourished Poodle Mixes Found Dumped in South Georgia Look So Grateful to be Saved
Even though Amy had seen the friendly dog for several days, she brought her to the local vet to check for a microchip. If one were present, it would’ve contained her family’s contact information, but this wasn’t the case. Vet staff even recognized her as a local stray who had been around for quite a while.
When the future seemed unclear for this rescued dog, Amy and her husband were thrilled to offer her a home. In the short time it took to get her to the vet, everyone fell in love!
Adopting a Stray Dog
In many areas of the world, it’s acceptable to adopt a stray dog as long as no microchip is found, but in other places, additional steps are required. In Hawai’i, where Amy lives, she’s required to turn the dog into the local humane society so they can go through a legal adoption process.
Sadly, this meant Amy had to drop her new BFF off at the shelter. These dog rescuers will be anxiously waiting for the phone call that she’s officially adoptable, but the days or weeks until then will be longer than ever. The day this rescued dog comes home for good will be the best day ever!
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This story was originally published by PetHelpful on Feb 9, 2026, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here.