Andrea Rosebrock 
You can’t help but love ‘kids’ like this! So many stories abound about today’s youth and their lack of values and moral and responsibility, stories like this give renewed hope for the future.
Emily Thies is a 14 year old, eighth grade student at Southwest Middle School in Rapid City, SD. Like her family, Emily is an animal lover and along with her mother and 11 year old brother, volunteers at the local Humane Society. She also donates food and other items to the shelter and is trying to buy bulletproof vests for police dogs used at Ellsworth Air Force Base.
So it’s not really a big surprise when Emily found out about a tiny little stray Chihuahua that was found hit by a car on West Main Street in Rapid City on April 21 and taken to the a Humane Society, she wanted to help. Optimus Prime, as the little guy was named, had a badly injured back left leg needed to be amputated. Unfortunately for the little guy, the Humane Society had just had to raise money to have surgery done on another injured animal and their funds were completely depleted. Unless someone came to the rescue, the little injured dog was going to have to be put down.
“I was just so sad. I just had to do something,” said Emily. “Before they even said anything (about needing money) I was going to pay for him.”
So from money save from baby-sitting and pet-sitting, Emily donated $500 so that Optimus Prime could have his life saving surgery.
“Even with a limb that wasn’t working, he was just a happy little thing,” Betsy said. “He loved being petted.”
And now, after the little guy recovers and recuperates, he’ll be ready for adoption. Emily knew at the time that she and her family wouldn’t be able to adopt the tiny dog. They already have two cats and a poodle that prefers not to share his family with another dog.
As it turns out, Optimus may already have an owner. Finding a microchip, they traced the dog to Ellsworth Air Force Base, but they weren’t able to determine who the owner was, partly because files had not been updated.
So whether the little Chihuahua is returned to his owners or is adopted by a new family, Emily has a clear idea of the happy ending she wants for Optimus Prime: A good home with owners who walk him daily “and just love him.”
It’s so nice to hear some good news for a change. I wish there were many more like this caring teenager. There are so many that are cruel to dogs and other animals.