A Connecticut police bloodhound is recovering from minor injuries after he was found following a 36-hour search.
Texas, a K-9, was used as part of a Wednesday search for a man who had gone missing near Wooster Mountain in Danbury, the Hartford Courant reports.
The three-year-old ran off after his handler, Edward Anuszewski, accidentally dropped his leash due to a stumble during the search. Texas bounded off.
Texas, a K-9 bloodhound for Connecticut’s police force, bounded off on Wednesday during a missing person search. He was found on Friday morning after a 36-hour search and was reunited with his handler, Edward Anuszewski (pictured together)
Anuszewski had accidentally dropped the three-year-old pup’s leash. The missing person was eventually found. Texas is pictured in a squad car
The dog was hungry and thirsty and had a cut on one paw but otherwise appeared to be fine, police said
More than 100 police officers, state troopers, firefighters and civilians joined in the search for the pup, who was found with his leash on Friday morning in nearby Ridgefield, about three miles from where he had gone missing.
He was hungry and thirsty and had a cut on his paw.
‘Texas will be checked out by a vet but he seems to be generally OK,’ a police spokesperson said.
Jeff Kehlenback, a special agent, eventually found Texas by calling to him near a woodland and tracing the howl he heard from the dog.
The pair was then spotted walking along a road by civilian Laura Stabell, who drove them to a local shooting range where the search party had gathered.
Texas and Anuszewski, a 28-year veteran of the force, had a tearful reunion, the Ridgefield Press reports.
More than 100 people – including civilians – joined in the search effort for the dog. Mayor Mark Boughton (left) tweeted about the eventual rescue. Texas was found by Jeff Kehlenback, a special agent. Civilian Laura Stabell then drove the duo to a shooting range parking lot, where the search party had congregated (Kehlenback and Stabell pictured at right)
‘It was like having a Hollywood star in my van, with all the crowd cheering when we pulled up,’ Stabell told the Ridgefield Press in reference to Texas.
Police say that over the span of his short live, the K-9 has saved multiple lives.
‘That dog is one of us, it’s not just a dog,’ Connecticut State Police Captain David Delvecchia told Fox61.
Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton said the dog was ‘healthy and well,’ WTNH reports.
The missing man was found on Wednesday by another K-9.
‘That dog is one of us, it’s not just a dog,’ Connecticut State Police Captain David Delvecchia said. Pictured are Texas and his handler enjoying their reunion