"A Duo of Beagles"

The pair on their journey walked through the bitter cold night in search of safety during the dismal midwinter. The soon-to-be father looked along the side of the road for a house, an inn, or a stable where his partner, who was having a hard time, might spend the night safely. He glanced regularly in her direction. The new life developing inside her made her path heavier as she toiled on without complaining. They required a dry, comfortable location away from the chilly wind. It couldn't be here on the road when her time came.

Pepper and Cooper was their name instead of Mary and Joseph. They were two beagles, not a husband and wife. And the location was on a rural highway outside of town in Bethel, Ohio, not Bethlehem. But tonight, eight days before Christmas, they were to be blessed, just like the biblical pair, by an act of kindness.

The two were visible to county wildlife officer Gus Kiebel in his headlight flash as he was on his way home from work. He could see the dogs had tags and collars on, even though it was snowing so much that it was hard to see.

It was too chilly for dogs to be outside, so what were they doing out here on this woodland road? Gus pulled his truck to a stop and went up to the animals. The beagles did not try to flee when he knelt down and held out his hands to them. He identified the male as Cooper and the female as Pepper by looking at their tags under the headlights of his truck. It was snowing so fiercely that his screen became blurry when he took out his phone to dial the number that was shown.

"I'll call from my truck, let's load them up."

He set the dogs down on the passenger side floorboards of his truck. They had gotten onto the passenger side by the time he reached the driver's side..

Afterwards, he called the number on the dog tags. A man answered and became defensive as soon as Gus explained the reason for his call. "I disposed of those dogs," the man declared. "They are no longer mine."

"So, to whom did you give them?" Gus enquired.

"I'm not aware of the individuals' names."

Do you want them back, then?

Not at all. I am unable to care for them. The individual ended the call.

Then, these beagles were left behind. Absolutely no home on this planet. Beagles are intelligent canines. Gus turned to face them, their big hound eyes beseeching. Gus left a message at the county dog warden's office because he had called after hours. He then gave Katie a call. She said, "You cannot put them back out in the snow." "Take them back home."

The Kiebels lay out food and drink on their cozy enclosed porch, along with a bed for the dogs in a crate. The weary animals were grouped together, with Cooper sometimes raising his head to pet Pepper.

Though Gus had always wanted a beagle of his own, the Kiebels already owned a family dog, so retaining this duo was out of the question. However, he was acquainted with someone at the Batavia, Illinois, League for Animal Welfare, a no-kill shelter. When he called the following day, Katie went to the shelter with the dogs to drop them off, but she had one requirement. "If you plan to split the dogs up, I won't sign the dogs over to you," she declared. She was assured by the shelter staff that they would maintain the couple's union.

Katie kept calling the shelter in the days that followed to see how Pepper and Cooper were doing. She was unable to stop thinking about them. With every call came a twinge of fear and a wave of relief. And what if nobody took them in? What if they were to have to part ways?

The two beagles were adopted by a devoted family just after Christmas. The good news came via phone call from the shelter to the Kiebels. Katie experienced both a happy thrill and a melancholy aching. She had been attached to the dogs in the short time they were in her care, even though they had rescued them from the snow.

Gus and Katie paid a final visit to the shelter to bid farewell to Cooper and Pepper. The dogs kissed their faces and wagged their tails wildly, as though realizing how wonderful people had been to them. The newly formed family, a couple with two kids, assured them they would send pictures and updates.

The Kiebels discussed the snowy night's serendipity on their way home. The tale, which was straightforward—kindhearted individuals provide a wandering couple with shelter from a storm—speaks to the best aspects of human nature. Gus cast a sidelong peek at Katie and noticed the satisfied expression on her face.

A letter from the new owners arrived a few weeks later. There were photos of Pepper and Cooper playing with the kids, cuddling on the couch, and having a good time in the yard. The letter assured the Kiebels that the beagles would always be cherished and thanked them for their kindness.

As a memento of the evening they had changed things, Gus and Katie pinned the pictures to their refrigerator. It was a tiny miracle—a deed of compassion that had given two forlorn spirits comfort and security. The greatest miracle of all was that love had triumphed in the bitter cold of winter.