Florida Cops Rescue Pups On Interstate Twice

PINELLAS PARK, FL — It's always heartbreaking to see a dog lying on the side of the interstate, but, in this case, the dog got lucky.

On Sept. 19, Pinellas Park Police Officer Joe Puglia was on his way to work when he saw a dog get struck by a vehicle while trying to cross Interstate 275 near 38th Avenue North. Without hesitation, Puglia swerved, putting his cruiser between the dog and traffic.

Puglia said he got out of his cruiser and rushed over to where the dog lay and was relieved to see he was still breathing.

"I came back and got an emergency blanket to wrap the dog in, because I didn't want to hurt him any further," Puglia said. He then scooped up the dog and rushed it to Pinellas Animal Hospital.

The team at Pinellas Animal Hospital was notified of Puglia's impending arrival by the communications department. After examining the dog, the vets at the hospital had good news. The dog is expected to make a full recovery. Except for some cuts and scrapes, the dog was unscathed.

The owner has not yet been located because the dog has no micochip or tag.

Until the owner is found, Puglia gave him a nickname.

"We nicknamed him Lucky, and I think it applies because he's definitely one lucky dog," Puglia said.

If you are the owner or know the owner, contact Pinellas County Animal Services.

Humane Society of Tampa Bay

The next day, Sept. 20, Florida Highway Patrol troopers had their chance to rescue another pup

The puppy was thrown out of a car along Interstate 4 and halted traffic as he frantically ran back and forth between all four lane of the highway.

Luckily, Troopers Chris Davidson and Tamas Barna showed up and were able to catch the dog. They took him to the Humane Society of Tampa Bay where he was checked out by the shelter's veterinarian. Other than a few scratches and cuts and a positive heartworm test, he's in good shape. He's been named Lightning and will be put up for adoption once his treatment has ended.