Dog Found with His Snout Zip-Tied Shut Gets Adopted by the Indiana Police Officer Who Saved Him
The officer — who previously adopted another pup she saved on the job — joked that dispatchers "should stop sending her to animal calls"
Days after his rescue, a dog is going home with a familiar face — the police officer who saved him.
On Friday, the pup, a Doberman Pinscher named Zeus, was found running around on the side of a road in South Bend, Indiana, with his snout zip-tied shut.
Officers from the South Bend Police Department (SBPD) responded to the scene, and one officer, Stephanie Northcutt, was able to "build enough trust with the dog to safely catch him and take him out of harm's way," the department said in a Facebook post.
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With the help of a bystander, Northcutt removed the zip tie from Zeus' snout and took him to a nearby animal shelter — but their story was not over just yet.
Zeus' rescue generated lots of interest on social media, prompting the SBPD to share the next chapter of the Doberman's story on Monday.
"We hope you'll love this update as much as we do," the agency's follow-up Facebook post read. "The Doberman that was found last Friday with a zip-tied snout on South Bend's south side has officially been adopted. By whom, you may ask? Well... by the one who rescued him, South Bend Police Officer Stephanie Northcutt."
According to the post, Northcutt "knew the moment she laid eyes on the pup that he was the perfect addition to her family."
With other dogs at home already, the officer took the weekend to decide, letting Zeus bond with her pups before making the adoption official.
This wasn't the first time Northcutt bonded with a dog on the job.
Zeus is the second pup she has adopted after a rescue "from a tough situation while on patrol," the department wrote.
"She joked that the dispatchers at St Joseph County 9-1-1 should stop sending her to animal calls because she will soon run out of room at her house!" the department added.
Thankfully, the animal shelter where Zeus was taken, South Bend Animal Resource Center, told SBPD that the canine would "not suffer any long-term physical effects from his injuries" and was doing "extremely well."
So others can share a bond like the one between her and Zeus, Northcutt will be sponsoring two adoptions at the animal rescue center.
She was inspired to do so "after seeing how deeply this story affected our community," the SBPD said.
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The department also said it is still investigating the circumstances surrounding Zeus' zip-tied snout and wishes the pup nothing but the best.
"Happy trails, Zeus," it wrote. "Enjoy your new home!"
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