Christmas Eve turned into a night of relief and joy for one Southern California family, thanks to the quick work of the California Highway Patrol.
Multiple 911 callers reported a German shepherd wandering the lanes of the eastbound and westbound 10 Freeway near Via Verde in Covina around 11:30 p.m. Tuesday.
As calls continued to come in, CHP officers from the Baldwin Park station sprang into action. They located the wayward pooch, safely took him into custody, and secured him in the backseat of their patrol vehicle, news video service KNN reported. The dog appeared to be confused, but otherwise in good health.
The officers found a dog tag with contact information on the pooch, which led them to the homeowners in Pomona, nearly 10 miles away. It’s unclear how long the dog had been on the loose. Officers ensured a happy ending by reuniting the German shepherd with his very relieved owners. Speaking off-camera, the owners expressed immense gratitude, praising the officers for going out of their way to bring their beloved pet back home safely on Christmas Eve
Photo: Andrey Babeshkin / iStock / Getty Images