Saving Gemma: 'My first thought was, is this a joke?'

Jim O'Dell found Gemma.

Or, maybe, Gemma found Jim O'Dell.

The strangers had a chance meeting last week that could change both of their lives forever.

The Lake Orion man, who renovates homes, pulled into the driveway of a vacant two-story colonial house in North Branch in rural Lapeer County that he had been working on for about a month.

There was Gemma, sitting at the side of the driveway, just waiting for him and one of his employees.

"My first thought was, is this a joke?" O'Dell, 54, said Tuesday, describing seeing a crossbow arrow sticking out of the top of the black, flat-coated retriever's head.

He wondered if it was a prank. Then he saw the sad look and drool on her face.

"This is real, you know, and we went up to her," he said. "It was like she was waiting for us to get there. She was waiting for us. Of all the places she could have gone, she waited at that spot."

O'Dell called a police chief who lives nearby, but got no answer. Then he called Lapeer County Animal Control.

He sat about four feet away from Gemma on the grass, just to let her know he was there. O'Dell said she walked over and put her head down. He petted her until animal control arrived.

O'Dell said they tried to put Gemma in the animal control truck, but it didn't work with the arrow sticking out of her head. So O'Dell volunteered to take her to animal control's office in his work van.

Gemma later took a ride to a veterinarian in Imlay City. The vet removed the arrow, which miraculously had missed her brain and optic nerve, Chief Animal Control Officer Aimee Orn said.

O'Dell left his name and number, and a few hours later received a call that Gemma was OK. He finished one odd job and took the rest of the day off.

"It was surreal," he said of the March 30 experience.

Through a tip, investigators determined that Gemma's owner, a 28-year-old Goodland Township man, allegedly shot her. He told authorities that she was acting aggressively toward his other dog, a pug. Orn said investigators didn't see another dog at his property when they went to interview him.

Orn said Tuesday that no charges have been filed and the matter remains under investigation.

O'Dell, a dog lover, said he was surprised to hear Gemma's owner might have shot her two days before O'Dell found her.

"I was a little relieved it wasn't somebody doing that to other dogs. At the same time, it's incredibly sad, incredibly cruel, to do this to their own pet," he said. "It's someone their dog trusted. It's odd. It's strange, any way you slice it, it's pretty unusual."

O'Dell visited Gemma, who is recovering at animal control, late last week. He thought that if she went up for adoption, she would be a great dog for someone. He first thought about his friend who has had several rescue dogs.

But when asked if O'Dell — who doesn't currently have a dog — would be interested in Gemma, he said: "I think I would."

Orn has said that authorities are trying to have Gemma's owner sign off on her so she could be available for adoption. Otherwise, the dog will be taken into evidence and the ownership issue will be settled in court. She said O'Dell would be the first person considered if he is interested.

"I kind of feel lucky I was able to help," O'Dell said. "I think it's what most people would have done."

Contact Christina Hall: chall99@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter: @challreporter.

How to help

Dozens of supporters have called wanting to adopt Gemma or help in her care.

Money to care for her is coming out of Lapeer County Animal Control's budget. Those interested in donating can do so by e-mailing Chief Animal Control Officer Aimee Orn at aorn@lapeercounty.org, calling 810-667-0236 or sending a check to animal control at 2396 W. Genessee, Lapeer 48446.