DANVILLE, Va. – "This is little Ricky," said Danville Fire Department Capt. Billy Scearce, as he carried his newest dog into his living room.
Ricky is a 4 or 5-year-old schnauzer mix that was adopted on Wednesday by Scearce and his wife.
Ricky was hit by a car in October and got lodged in the car's bumper.
"It was just a miracle that he lived through being hit by a car, and so at that point we both realized that this little guy needed a second chance," Scearce said.
Around 11 p.m. on Oct. 15, a woman hit the dog as she was driving down Westover Drive.
Scearce and firefighters Trey Woodson and David Newell were called to remove the dog from the car.
Newell drove the fire truck to the scene, but was surprised by what he saw when he pulled up.
"Headlights hit the front of the car. I wasn't expecting a live dog, to be honest with you," Newell said.
After unsuccessfully trying to pry the dog loose, they decided they would have to cut the car's bumper off.
"That pretty much released him from the vehicle and then we laid him on a blanket and (gave him) some oxygen with a pet mask," Scearce recounted.
Ricky now has a metal rod in one of his legs, but the leg may have to eventually be amputated.
The Danville Area Humane Society paid for his initial surgery and to have him neutered and cared for him for several days after being hit, all amounting to several hundred dollars.
Newell is looking forward to seeing more of the dog in the future.
Woodson said Ricky may become a symbol of hope at the firehouse.
"Glad my captain adopted him. I think that's great," Woodson said. "Real glad we saved the dog's life."
"(Scearce has) been an animal lover all his life. I've seen many an animal go through this house, so it's awesome to see him adopt this one," Newell said.