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Tom Hudson set out in his canoe one day, expecting nothing more than a quiet ride through the water. What he found instead would change the course of his day entirely. As he drifted near the muddy edge of the shoreline, something unusual caught his attention. It was just a faint shape at first, but as he paddled closer, a pair of eyes blinked back at him from a mask of thick mud. Beneath all the muck was the face of a white dog who clearly needed help.
“When I got closer, I heard more of a… whimpering,” Hudson recalled. “I knew straight away she did not want to be there.”
Without hesitation, Hudson began trying to free her. She had gotten herself stuck deep in the soft earth, surrounded by sticks and debris that pinned her in place. He carefully removed what he could, piece by piece, and then worked to pull her free.
“It was a struggle,” he said. “But she was helping me as best she could with her front legs.”
Though exhausted, the dog seemed to understand he was there to help. Once she was finally free, it became clear she had been stuck for quite a while. She could barely stand. At first, Hudson considered leaving her briefly to go find help, but as soon as he stepped away, she cried out. Her eyes followed him with a look that said she couldn’t bear to be left alone again.
“The way she cried and looked at me when I took a few steps away from her, I knew I had to take her with me.”
So he lifted the tired dog into his canoe and began paddling again, hoping to find her home. Not long after, he spotted a house tucked just off the riverbank. Hudson docked and made his way to the door, unsure of what to expect. But as soon as he described the dog, the man who answered lit up — he knew exactly who she was.
The dog’s name was Ivy. She had gone missing several days earlier, and despite searching high and low, her owner hadn’t been able to find her. Now, thanks to one unexpected encounter on the water, Ivy was finally home again.
Her owner gently placed her in a kiddie pool to clean off all the mud and then gave her food to help her regain her strength. Overwhelmed with gratitude, he offered Hudson a warm meal and a place to sleep for the night.
“I’ve been living in my tent outside in the wilderness for the past two months,” Hudson said. “So, to get offered a house and a warm bed was huge for me.”
The next morning, after some well-earned rest, Hudson continued on his way. He said goodbye to Ivy and her family with a full heart, grateful for the chance to help. Ivy’s owner was reminded that kindness, even from a stranger in a canoe, can bring someone home.
