On their way to a family reunion, sisters Laura Chapman and Carla Colbeck were cruising down a rural highway when something unusual caught their eye — a small white head peeking up from the tall grass in a nearby field.
“I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, there’s a dog!’” Chapman recalled to The Dodo.
Despite being in the middle of a long road trip, the sisters didn’t hesitate. They pulled over and walked toward the dog, half-expecting him to bolt. But instead of running away, the little dog simply looked up at them.
“It was almost like he was waiting,” Chapman said. “Like he knew someone would come.”
Without hesitation, they gently scooped him up and brought him into their car. A visit to a nearby vet confirmed what they feared: the dog had no microchip. It seemed clear he'd been abandoned.
Covered in matted fur and dirt, the pup desperately needed grooming. The sisters took him to a groomer, where he spent nearly five hours being shaved, cleaned, and comforted.
“It took her four and a half hours to groom him,” Chapman said. “But he looked — and felt — like a brand-new dog afterward.”
With the reunion still ahead, the sisters brought their unexpected guest along. Far from being overwhelmed, the dog thrived in the attention. It was as if he’d always belonged with them.
By the time the reunion ended, Colbeck realized she couldn’t imagine leaving him behind.
“From the moment I found him, I kind of knew,” she said. “‘I’m going to be driving this teddy bear back home, aren’t I?’”
She named him Murphy. And just like that, he joined her for the 23-hour drive back to Michigan — the start of his new life.
Back home, Murphy met his new furry siblings — a dog and a cat — who quickly welcomed him as one of their own. It didn’t take long for Murphy to settle in.
Today, it’s hard to believe that Murphy was once sitting silently in the grass by the road, waiting for someone to notice him. He’s now right where he belongs — loved, safe, and home.
