Would you risk your own life and rush into traffic just to save a dog that had been struck by a moving vehicle?

Well, in this story that is exactly what one Pinellas Park Police Officer did to rescue a precious little pup who was left lying on the highway after being hit by a car.

Police aren’t here just to arrest people.

While there is a stigma surrounding being a police officer (that they are only out to arrest people), the fact of the matter is that police provide many other services to the public that oftentimes go by without recognition.

One of those services is saving our precious pets when they need help.

Look at officer Joseph Puglia with the Pinellas Park Police Department, who risked his own life to save a dog lying injured on a busy street in Florida, for example.

In a story published by TheAnimalRescueSite.com, Officer Joseph Puglia said:

“My heart really sank until I started seeing him breathing.”

The Officer breathed a sigh of relief when the injured dog took a breath.

We’re sure you have to be pretty darn tough to be a police officer, but this particular part of the job must be heartbreaking at times and surely triggers a tear or two in even the toughest of officers.

Pinellas Park’s finest to the rescue.

Police officers go through a series of different types of training before setting out on our public streets. We’re happy to know that saving the lives of animals and humans alike is one of them.

Hopefully, Officer Puglia doesn’t have to experience too many of these heart-wrenching rescues in his career as a police officer.

Ready for a new home.

The rescued pup healed up after being taken to the Pinellas County Animal Services and has been named Lucky.

“The team at the Pinellas Animal Hospital was notified of the incident by our communications department and they were awaiting Ofc. Puglia’s arrival,” wrote Pinellas Park PD. “After some medical examinations, the dog is expected to make a full recovery. The owner has not yet been located due to the dog not having a microchip or tag.”

We sure hope that it won’t take long for this precious pup to find a new home.

Not enough is known.

While there doesn’t seem to be a single group of people tracking the number of dogs hit by moving vehicles per year, preventivevet.com thinks that the number could be in the tens of thousands, and maybe even higher.

These numbers are staggering and should encourage all pet owners to keep their pet’s on a leash while on walks and safely in the house or yard when not.

Dogs are incredibly intelligent and often times very crafty.

So when a dog wants to roam the local streets, what can you do to keep them in their own yard and out of mischief, or even worse, becoming injured or killed by a moving vehicle?

Many folks and companies alike have tried to conquer this problem for as long as dogs have been family pets. One way is by keeping them in a backyard that is fenced high enough to keep them from jumping over it and having a non-diggable substrate at the fence bottom.

Your dog might greet you like this for keeping them safe!

Serious claims.

There is a company claiming fame for keeping your dog safely in the yard and it doesn’t require building a wood fence or electrocuting your beloved fur buddy. You can go to PetPlaygrounds.com to see what they have come up with and if you think it is right for you.

As for Officer Puglia and his brave act of heroism; it was just another day on the job, but it was a damn good one.

“This incident is just another example of the dedication and compassion our officers have for our four-legged friends. Great job to Ofc. Puglia!” the Pinellas Park Police Department concluded on Facebook.

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Source: TheAnimalRescueSite