$$ Walmart Employee Nearly Faints After She Sees A Familiar Figure Walk Through The Door
June Rountree has worked as a cashier at the busy Walmart located in Dothan, Alabama, for years. Though she spends most days in the same routine, she's always excited to return home to her husband and rescue dog, Abby. But after an abrupt loss June was keeping her head down at work. That is, until a familiar figure she was still mourning suddenly walked straight up to her at work.
Going Through the Motions
Though June was content enough at her job, her real passion waited for her at home. A few years back she and her husband had rescued a little black and white pup from their local shelter who they named Abby. And it wasn't long before Abby became the center of June's whole world.
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An Unsettling Surprise
But one day, Abby wouldn't be waiting for her. That day came on November 8, 2020. The 60-year-old returned home after a long day of swiping and bagging miscellaneous merchandise only to find her four-year-old black-and-white mongrel missing from her backyard.
Where's Abby?
June's heart sank. She looked down at Abby's collar and leash, which were attached to a stake in the ground, in utter agony. How could this have happened? It was a complete and total nightmare.
A Desperate Search
She and her hubby immediately hopped in the car. The couple drove in panicky circles around the neighborhood, keeping their teary eyes peeled while calling out for Abby. They did this for many nights to no avail. It felt as if they'd lost a family member — because they did.
Life Goes On
They frantically reached out to neighbors and contacted local animal shelters, detailing everything about their lab-pitbull mix. Weeks went by with no good news. Though June and her husband were beyond crushed, life had to go on.
Fading Hope
Hope was starting to fade, which left June with an empty pit at the bottom of her stomach. Still, she put on her uniform and went to work each day, ready to tackle the daily chaos that consumes Walmart. Sigh.
Sudden Commotion
But there was a different variety of chaos that riled Walmart up on November 28th. While June was holding her own at register No. 6 during her regular shift, a sudden commotion by the ice machine caught her attention.
Up and Down the Aisles
She looked up to see her coworkers running around the aisles like madmen. She was puzzled at first, but after a second, something clicked. "I said, ‘It can’t be,'" June recalled of the moment.
A Four-Legged Menace
A Walmart customer service associate and June's coworker, Danielle Robinette, also shared a few words. “I was like, ‘What in the world is happening?’” Danielle stated. So what did happen? What was all the racket about? Well, there was a medium-sized mutt running around the store!
A Familiar Face
“I’m a huge animal lover, so I just followed her, and she ran up to register No. 6," Danielle continued. And as we know, register No. 6 was run by June. She squinted her eyes, as this mangey mutt looked an awful lot like her missing Abby.
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Still Suspicious
As the familiar black-and-white pooch approached the register, June called the name "Abby," just hoping that this mysterious pup was her missing girl. The excited dog came up to June, which left her wide-eyed, but still suspicious. She didn't want to get her hopes up.
A Miracle
June promptly checked the mystery dog's coat, spotting a notable patch of short white fur that surrounded her snout and neck, a patch that June knew all too well. It was Abby.
A Bizarre Scene
“I bent over and hugged her. I completely lost it then. I couldn’t speak. I was in complete shock and just couldn’t believe it," June gushed. She held Abby in a warm embrace for several minutes, which made the other staff members, who were circling them, cock their heads in confusion.
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But How?
“She looked up with tears streaming down her face, and said: ‘This is Abby. She’s been missing for three weeks,’” Danielle said. “I was just floored.” But how did Abby find June at the exact Walmart she worked at?
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A Memorable Path
See, the Walmart where June worked was located just 1.5 miles from her home. And though Abby had never been inside the store, June would walk her in its parking lot and in the woods behind the store a handful of times. Could Abby have remembered the path June took her on?
An Expert Weighs In
“How she knew I worked there, I do not know,” June confessed. Well, according to Clive Wynne, a psychology professor, author, and the director of Arizona State University's Canine Science Collaboratory, she might not have known that June would be in the Walmart, but she probably recognized the building.
Recognizing Landmarks
“I suspect that the dog was roaming around somewhere at random until it stumbled upon a familiar location. I think it is perfectly plausible and very likely that this dog was distressed and upset and trying to find home," Clive stated. "A dog’s navigation isn’t perfect, but it does recognize certain important, large landmarks.”
Expressing Gratitude
And considering Abby returned with a considerable amount of meat on her bones, June believes someone must've been caring for Abby throughout her three-week period away from home. “I want to thank whoever she came upon that gave her something to eat," she said with gratitude.
Motivation to Come Home
“We kid at work that she must have known the weather was going to turn and wanted to find her way back so she could have her warm bed,” June said with a giggle, clearly at ease with her fur baby finally safe at home. "It’s like a dream. You can’t make this stuff up," she exclaimed.
A Loving Pooch
June Rountree called Abby a "very loving dog, but not one that wants to lick and kiss all over your face. She is more laid back, but she wants to be with you.” Even after having Abby back in her arms, June could hardly believe that her loyal pup had tracked her down at Walmart, of all places.
Notorious One-Stop Shop
Walmart is notoriously known for carrying pretty much anything you can think of. Wherever this enormous national retailer opens up, you can expect quite a bit of business to follow. But, many people are familiar with Walmart for more hilarious reasons.
Diverse Clientele
Walmart has made a name for itself by having a very diverse, and frankly, sometimes absurd, customer base. However, on one particular afternoon, it wasn't an unusual customer that had everyone up in arms.
Mysterious Meows
In Phoenix, Arizona, the local Walmart was always a bustling place, especially on the weekends. One afternoon, shoppers became concerned after they heard faint meowing but couldn't determine exactly where it was coming from.
Sandwich Sounds
The customers who heard it alerted the store employees, and after carefully investigating the noise, the manager of the store was able to trace the faint sounds to a sandwich display.
Calling In Backup
Now that they pinpointed the location of what they assumed was a trapped cat, they called the Arizona Humane Society for help. They didn't want to take any chances of being bitten or scratched by a distressed animal.
Snake Cam
The Humane Society's Emergency Animal Medical Technicians (EAMTs) showed up at Walmart with a special device - a "snake cam." This would help them get a better view of what was underneath the refrigerated unit.
Going In
The two rescue workers fed the long camera under the fridge toward the sounds. They were carefully watching their screen to see any movement. At first, nothing seemed to happen, but suddenly...
Two Kittens
There, among the wires and debris under the refrigerator unit, were two teeny, chilly kittens! The workers were shocked! How did two cats who could barely care for themselves end up under a Walmart refrigerator?
Putting It Together
The rescue workers informed the store manager what was happening, and the manager actually noted that employees found another cat in the store just days before.
Secret Litter
Once the mother cat was found, employees handed her off to a local animal shelter. Unfortunately, they had no idea that she'd left two kittens behind! Her babies were incredibly lucky they were found.
Operation: Fride Cat
Through the camera, the rescuers realized just how young the kittens were. That is, they were far too young to be separated from their mother! They needed to get the frightened kittens out immediately. The hard work began...
Slow And Easy
EAMTs Juju and Ruthie Jesus made sure they had a clear area to work, and they began to carefully disassemble the base of the sandwich display. The last thing they wanted to do was scare the kittens even more.
Tight Squeeze
In an interview with Today News after the whole ordeal, Juju agreed with Ruthie when she said the cramped undercarriage of the fridge "was the tightest position I have ever seen an animal in."
Rescue Success
"After several hours of disassembling the display unit, EAMTs Juju and Ruthie Jesus were able to reach the kittens and rescue them from their frigid fate," the Humane Society said in a press release.
Cold But Safe
Thanks to the Humane Society's efforts, these kittens were able to see the light of day—and everyone was relieved that they were alive and well, despite being stuck in such a cold place for so long.
In Good Shape
The kittens were immediately taken to the local vet, and miraculously, they were in great shape. However, they were still too young to be adopted, so they were set up in a foster home with a family who was fostering other cats, as well.
Growing Up Strong
Twelve weeks later, the kittens, a gray female named Grace and her cream-colored brother, Houdini, grew into adorable little cats. Just look at those eager eyes ready for forever homes!
Furever Homes
It wasn't long before they found their new families. The two now enjoy safe and happy lives in the comfort of their own homes in a wonderful neighborhood just outside of Phoenix.
Covering Costs
Fortunately, the Humane Society paid for all of the medical expenses so their new families didn't have to worry about a thing. The shelter was simply thrilled the cats were safe and with nurturing people!
Beyond Walmart
It's quite a miracle the kittens had voices that were heard in the first place! Grace and Houdini's mother can rest assured her babies are now well taken care of. What's more, Walmart employees aren't even the only ones making cat rescues their side hustle...
The Swedish island of Gotland is a popular place for tourists from all around the world. However, no one knows the beauty of a place quite like the island's most popular ferry operator...
His name is Johan Skärkarl (left) and he's spent nearly his entire life in Gotland. He works long hours each week to bring visitors to and from the Gotland island in a very sleek state of the art ferry.
Johan and his trusty crew saw their fair share of unusual things over the course of their career. However, one afternoon, they experienced something that shocked even these seasoned sailors.
On this particular afternoon, the HSC Gotlandia II was docked in a large port in Visby, the island's most populated town. As Johan was getting off the vessel, he noticed there was some commotion occurring at the aft...
Johan approached the flurry of activity and was told by a few people standing on the docks that they were almost certain there was some sort of animal clinging to the bottom of his ferry. Without hesitation, Johan changed into a specialized suit so he could enter the frigid water.
The ocean waters at this time of year were especially cold, and without the proper gear, a person could quickly develop hypothermia and lose consciousness. Johan knew better than to tempt fate.
Once Johan was sure his special suit was fastened tightly, he began to climb down the ladder into the ocean. He knew there were people looking out for his safety, but he wanted to take precautions of his own.
Of course, if you've ever heard of the Polar Bear club, then you know there are those who knowingly enter dangerously frigid water wearing nothing but bathing suits. Johan's mission, however, was far more important than an entertaining dip in the water...
Soon enough, Johan found himself adjusting to the water's temperature. Sure, the suit he was wearing prevented much of the cold from affecting him, but when dealing with temperatures near freezing, nothing will entirely keep the cold out.
It took Johan a few minutes to adjust to the water, but once he was ready, he slowly maneuvered his body onto his back. This was the position he was going to take for his journey, and there was a very specific reason why...
The specialized suit that Johan was wearing was popular among sailors and others who spent much of their time on the ocean. When the person wearing it flipped onto their back, the suit acted like an insulated flotation device, which is exactly what Johan needed.
As Johan floated, he paddled both of his arms back towards his ship. He still had no idea what he was going to find, but if it was an animal, he didn't want to startle it...
Slowly but surely, Johan made his way closer to the aft end of the HSC Gotlandia II. Once he arrived, he flipped over onto his stomach and reached his hand up to a ledge that wasn't visible from the dock. What was he about to grab?
Within seconds of Johan reaching onto the back ledge, he came floating out on his back with a small animal resting on his chest. It wasn't immediately apparent what it was, but soon, people were in shock...
It was a cat! He didn't seem to be injured, but he was clearly frazzled by the entire ordeal. The feline was lucky someone spotted him; it had no way of getting onto the dock without the assistance of a human.
Once Johan got close enough, he tossed the cat onto the dock with one swift motion. The frazzled feline seemed to understand he was finally safe on land thanks to his human hero!
The suit Johan was wearing did its job, and the frigid waters didn't inhibit him from making sure he completed his task. Of course, Johan wasn't a man to give up, and either way, he would have ensured the cat's safe return.
The cat, slightly disoriented, hung around the dock for a short time before finally wandering off into the town of Visby. Johan thought about adopting the little guy, but if the cat belonged to a town resident, he didn't want to strip them of their incredibly lucky pet.
They say cats have nine lives, and this guy certainly spent one, if not more, clinging to the back of Johan's ferry! If it wasn't for the people on the dock who saw him, he most likely would not have lived to enjoy another day catching mice!
It's people like Johan who help restore our faith in humanity. He saw an animal in need and didn't hesitate to put in whatever effort it took to save it.
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