Snowplow Driver Blocks Road to Save Two Lost Dogs in Blizzard

Kenny McGowan was pushing through near-whiteout conditions on Long Island when he spotted two small figures darting through the snow and ice on the highway.

The snowplow driver has stopped for plenty of obstacles before, from buried cars to fallen branches. But this time, two uncollared dogs were racing down the dangerous road in the middle of a blizzard.

"I looked over and I seen something in the corner of my eye, and then I looked in my mirror and I saw a dog running," McGowan told CBS News. He immediately turned on his sirens and followed the frightened animals to keep other drivers away.

McGowan stayed behind the dogs until he could maneuver his plow sideways near Town Hall, blocking their path. The two Labrador-mix dogs ran shoulder to shoulder into a median strip and buried themselves in three feet of snow.

Several Good Samaritans stopped to help, drawn either by the blocked road or because they'd also seen the dogs in distress. Together, they coaxed the scared animals into the back of McGowan's truck.

"Being an animal lover, being a father, I went right into protection mode," McGowan said. "I was gonna do whatever I had to do to stop these dogs from getting hurt."

He drove them straight to the nearest animal shelter. Staff there told CBS News that both dogs could have frozen to death if they'd stayed buried in that snowdrift much longer.

Sunny's Take

The shelter staff noticed something beautiful right away. The two dogs were clearly bonded, never leaving each other's side, so no one tried to separate them.

While the dogs had no collars, both were microchipped. Their owners were quickly notified and came to pick up their four-legged family members, who presumably got extra warm beds and treats that night.

McGowan's compassion turned what could have been a tragedy into a reunion story. One driver's decision to stop and help meant two dogs made it home safely through the storm.