In most cases, stray dogs are scared to approach the people that they meet on the street. This is due mainly to a lack of familiarity and a loss in trust in strays that have been abandoned.

One dog in Brazil didn’t let his fear stop him from seeking help from the local police.

Two officers come across a stray dog

The highway patrol officers had just finished with a routine traffic incident and had returned to their patrol car. As they approached the car, the officers saw something in the back seat. A stray dog had climbed in the patrol car while the officers were occupied.

It seemed the happy dog knew exactly who to turn to in his time of need.

The dog endeared himself to the Internet

The officers were able to shoot a video, which was posted to the department’s Facebook page. So far, the video has over 2 million views and over 98,000 likes. The department also commented on the two officers’ meeting with the stray dog on the video.

“They were surprised,” officials said in the post. “He cried a lot. [He] appeared to have been abandoned on the side of the highway.”

The dog has found a home

As for the dog’s future, the officers gave him a ride back to the station where he could receive medical treatment. When he arrived, another officer at the department made a connection with him and decided to adopt the dog into his home.

“[He] decided to adopt him, which made his children happy,” the officials said. “His name is Rex!”

What to do if you find a stray dog

If you encounter a stray dog, keep some things in mind. Many strays are scared, especially when encountering someone they do not know, and they might react aggressively. If they do, do not approach them. Instead, call the local police department or animal control.

These officers are trained to deal with stray animals and will know how to best handle the situation.

If the dog seems friendly, try to get close enough to check for a tag. If they have one, call the number if one is listed. Another option is to take the dog to your local animal shelter. Once there, the staff can scan the dog for a microchip, which might let them know if the dog has an owner or not.

If an owner is not found, then the shelter will evaluate the dog for eventual adoption while also spaying or neutering the dog. Who knows, if you develop a connection with the dog, you might even consider adopting the dog yourself.

Not all strays are lucky enough to have someone to look out for them like Rex did with the police officers. In many cases, strays rely on the kindness of others to help them when they need it and hopefully find them a home of their own.

For more on Rex and his adorable meeting with the police officers, watch the video below.

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Source: Facebook/Polícia Militar Rodoviária de Santa Catarina

H/T: Paw My Gosh, humanesociety.org