The Sacramento County Regional Parks Rangers are the law enforcement division of Regional Parks, and while their days are typically spent engaging with parkway visitors and patrolling our parks to keep them safe, every once in a while, something weird happens. This isn’t a story about every day Ranger operations, this is a heartwarming story about how one of our Rangers became a dog dad following a routine traffic stop.
While on patrol at Watt River Access on April 8, two Rangers, Matsui and Brennan, conducted what they thought would be a standard traffic stop. Upon stopping the vehicle, they discovered that an individual inside had an outstanding warrant for his arrest.
While being placed into custody, Rangers learned that the individual had a Rottweiler mix puppy that he rescued from an abusive owner. The individual told Rangers Matsui and Brennan that he wanted them to adopt the puppy because he wanted to make sure the puppy would have a good and loving home.
“Having an individual I'm taking into custody ask me to adopt his dog was a first for me,” said Ranger Brennan. “This puppy stole my heart right away and I knew that I could give him a good home, but I also knew that I couldn't just take him home.”
The Rangers took the puppy to Bradshaw Animal Shelter where he received a thorough evaluation. Once he was checked out and cleared, he was fostered out to Ranger Brennan, who ultimately adopted him. This puppy, now named Roman, lives with Ranger Brennan and his family.
“Ranger Matsui and I are pretty good friends,” said Brennan. “I knew he had a Rottweiler pup at home, and now when we hang out outside of work, our pups can hang out together too.”
Animal foster care providers help the Bradshaw Animal Shelter save lives. With the shelter continuously at capacity, fostering a pet creates kennel space for incoming animals in need while giving pets a cozy environment to relax in while they wait for their forever homes.
The time commitment for fostering a pet can range from a few weeks to a few months depending on the animal’s individual needs. If you happen to fall in love with your pet, you can always choose to adopt them, just like Ranger Brennan did! To learn more about fostering an animal from the Bradshaw Animal Shelter, visit their website.