When Denton, TX, Letter Carrier Ian Burke learned a former customer had died, there was one thing he wanted to do: Adopt his dog.
“He’s a very handsome boy. So well-behaved, very kind to everybody, never met a stranger. Just the ideal dog,” Burke said.
The customer, Ken Meyer — a disabled Vietnam veteran who used a wheelchair — died in May. His service dog, Pretty Boy Floyd, was then turned over to a local animal shelter.
The Postal Service employee headed to the shelter the next day before it opened to ensure he was first in line to become the 70-pound dog’s new dad.
Burke’s generous act was the focus of a local TV news segment that aired in several markets around the country and was featured in an article on People.com.
“I think what I did is just the normal thing for letter carriers to do, which is to help people,” he said, adding that he hopes the hoopla will inspire others to adopt shelter dogs.
Burke isn’t sure what sort of breed mix Floyd is but guesses there’s some German shepherd and border collie in there
“He likes to herd his toys and patrol around the house,” he said. “I don’t know what his mix is but he’s 100 percent dog.”
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