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Woman drives from Georgia to St. Louis to deliver a pet

They met in Forest Park. It was a bittersweet moment for four new friends.

A St. Louis woman saved a dog's life by adopting him just days before he was scheduled to be put down. As Tammy Angeles met the newest member of her family, she also made a new human friend named Jessica Palmer.

Palmer lives in Columbus, Georgia. Thursday, she embarked on a 12.5-hour road trip with two dogs in the car.

"We stop frequently to potty," Palmer said.

The one with the eye patches is Palmer's pup. Her name is Rainbow Dash. The one with the black on his back is Zorro. Zorro's story begins on the streets of Columbus. Animal control picked him up December 5.

"He looked a little malnourished," Palmer said.

December 11, he was ready for someone to adopt him. However, no one in Georgia did.

"If they have a dog that's adoptable and they don't have any space, they have to put down animals to make space," Palmer said.

Zorro was scheduled to be euthanized two days after Christmas. To try to save his life, Abbey Johnson, an Auburn University student, made a video of him wearing an "adopt me" bandana. All the way in South St. Louis County, Angeles saw the video and could tell Zorro would make a great pet.

"This dog stood out to me," Angeles said. "Then she volunteered, Jessica did, to drive him up here."

They met in Forest Park. It was a bittersweet moment for four new friends.

"We're going to miss you, man," Palmer said to Zorro before giving him away.

But there is a good chance Palmer will come back. She has family in the St. Louis area and has been there many times before.

"I have a love for St. Louis," Palmer said. "When I was 17, I enlisted in the U.S. Army here in St. Louis."

It's why she was even more willing to make the long drive.

"It felt good to help," she said. "Kindness is free and the world could use a lot of it. You don't have to donate money to animal shelters and stuff. You can donate your time."

And adopt if you can.

"You don't have to travel all the way to Georgia to get a dog," Angeles said. "I just happened to see him and he caught my eye."

People in Columbus donated money to cover Zorro's adoption fees. Palmer covered the cost of the trip. After dropping off Zorro, she and Rainbow Dash immediately hit the road again for another long road trip back to Georgia. They stopped in Tennessee to take a break overnight along the way.

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