Silver Lab takes a mighty leap—and lands in the ER

Meet Grayson Haze, Mark and Annie’s beloved pooch

Longtime pet owners Mark and Annie M. have had several beloved dogs and cats over the years. Just when they thought they were done adding pets to their family, the love of their canine companions won out. In fact, they realized they needed not one, but two puppies.

Annie says, “We ended up getting Ginny as a puppy in December of 2020 … Ginny, she is very, very laid back. Although, we didn't realize how laid-back she was until we got Grayson. We thought she was a crazy girl. We didn’t realize she was laid-back.”

Not long after, Mark and Annie thought it would be good to find Ginny a companion. When Annie’s sister-in-law contacted the couple about a silver Lab puppy who needed a home, the decision was easy. Soon, Grayson and Ginny were the best of friends, despite living life at very different paces.

“They’re both wonderful dogs,” Mark says. “They sleep together. And [they’re] constantly around each other.”

“They love each other,” Annie adds.

Grayson, still a puppy in a lot of ways, added a lot of energy to the family dynamic. However, that dynamic quickly changed when he took a leap off a 36-foot-high bridge—a plunge that led to his Hambone nomination.

What happened?

Mark took Grayson on a leash along a popular walking route that extends across a bridge with concrete underneath. It was a normal walk for Mark and Grayson—until it wasn’t.

Mark remembers, “We walked to the middle of the bridge … and he jumped on the side, looked and jumped off.”

“We have no idea why,” Annie adds.

Panicked, Mark ran down the embankment to find his pup unconscious and seriously injured from the fall. He called Annie, who drove over immediately.

“Within 10 minutes, we were at [Texas A&M veterinary school],” Mark says.

Upon arrival, Grayson was stabilized. Despite taking an incredible tumble, his injuries wouldn’t require surgery to heal.

“We were so fortunate,” Annie adds.

Annie needed to stay with Grayson almost 24/7 to ensure he was calm and comfortable during recovery. That wasn’t easy for the big puppy, nor was the separation easy for Ginny either.

Annie says, “[We] had the dogs separated. Mark had Ginny in the office, and he stayed in there with her because we didn’t want her to feel like she's a bad dog. Then I stayed in the master bedroom.”

After more than two months of rest and lots of jigsaw puzzles for Annie, Grayson healed—and emerged ready to play with Ginny again.

How Nationwide helped

Mark and Annie got Nationwide pet insurance for Grayson and Ginny to help with regular pet expenses like prescriptions. Little did they know at the time it would protect them from significant emergency care costs after Grayson’s plunge.

Annie says, “When you get a dog, you go to the vet. You make sure that they have their shots, and you have your heartworm and your flea and tick medications so that you keep them healthy. Because they're not going to have a long life if you don't take care of them. You know?”

She continues, “Had we not had the pet insurance when this accident happened, it would have been thousands of dollars out of pocket.”