Missing dog sends Texas cops on ‘exhausting’ search after he runs away from police and returns home

You’re collared! Lost dog reports himself missing at local police station

  • Odessa Police Department cops were shocked when Chico the German Shepherd mix walked into the precinct on February 11
  • But after playing around petting the pooch was alarmed to find he’d left quickly
  • Police didn’t immediately find Chico because he made his own way home  
  • The one-year-old pet’s owner only knew what had happened when his nephew text him after seeing pictures of Chico on social media
  • Cops joked the dog wanted to apply for a job, not needing help: ‘We’re thinking he wanted to apply for a K-9 position after eliminating a Lassie type situation’ 

A dog in Texas ran a mile away from home in the middle of the night and ended up alerting cops of his missing status himself. 

Odessa Police Department cops were shocked when Chico the German Shepherd mix walked into the precinct on February 11 and played around with the pooch for a while.

The entire time his sleeping owner had no idea he was gone.  

‘So…. this happy guy randomly strolled into the front desk of the Police Department last night,’ the Odessa Police Department joked alongside images they snapped during the fleeting visit.

But after playing around petting the pooch was alarmed to find he'd made a speedy exit

Odessa Police Department cops were shocked when Chico the German Shepherd mix walked into the precinct on February 11. But after playing around petting the pooch was alarmed to find he’d made a speedy exit

The one-year-old pet's owner only knew what had happened when his nephew text him after seeing pictures of Chico on social media

The one-year-old pet’s owner only knew what had happened when his nephew text him after seeing pictures of Chico on social media

Sergeant Rusty Martin told The Dodo: ‘We were all excited to have him in the building. We had a tennis ball and threw it in the lobby for a bit. Everyone loved on him.’

Cops checked to see if he had an ID tag but he didn’t as it had fallen off. 

They called animal control to check for a microchip but Chico ‘ran out just as quick as he came in’, Sergeant Rusty Martin said.

The Facebook posted continued: ‘He was given lots of love and attention until he decided it was time for him to leave. He let himself out and after an exhausting search was not found.’

The one-year-old pet had shown up at the station around 3.30am while his owner Edward Alvarado was asleep.

Alvarado only knew what had happened when his nephew text him after seeing pictures of Chico on social media.

‘He asked me, “Is that Chico?” I came outside and checked. But he was there already. That’s kind of cool,’ Alvarado told NewsWest 9. ‘He knows where to go!’ 

Odessa Police joked: 'We're thinking he wanted to apply for a K-9 position after eliminating a Lassie type situation'

Odessa Police joked: ‘We’re thinking he wanted to apply for a K-9 position after eliminating a Lassie type situation’

Sergeant Martin explained: ‘The owner responded the next day [to say that] it was his dog and he had returned home. He lives about a mile from the station.

‘I was impressed. He may just be cut out for this work.’

Odessa Police joked on Facebook: ‘We’re thinking he wanted to apply for a K-9 position after eliminating a Lassie type situation.’ 

Social media followers were impressed too. The post got 2,000 likes, 1,500 shares and was commented on more than 100 times. 

Alvarado said he plans on taking his keen explorer on trips around the world since it doesn’t seem Chico plans on staying put.

‘We were going to have him at my dad’s store to be a guard dog,’ Alvarado told NewsWest 9. ‘He doesn’t take stuff seriously.’

Police later updated their post: ‘We were relieved to learn he safely returned to his owner. Chico is welcome back anytime.’

His owner told NewsWest 9: 'We were going to have him at my dad's store to be a guard dog. He doesn't take stuff seriously'

His owner told NewsWest 9: ‘We were going to have him at my dad’s store to be a guard dog. He doesn’t take stuff seriously’

Read more at DailyMail.co.uk