Kaohsiung, Taiwan, August 27, 2012
Police officers received a surprise days earlier when a dog casually walked into their station in southern Taiwan's Kaohsiung City.
The four-year-old male golden retriever, whom police suspect is lost, wandered into Daliao District's Zhongyi police station and started barking at the officer on duty. "It was as if the dog was reporting itself missing!" recalled the police officer. "After this, it then went to the car park next door and laid down in a corner to rest."
Police said they suspected the dog had been out on the streets for days, judging from its untidy appearance. "We all felt sorry for the poor fellow and wanted to help it find its way home, so we notified the local animal rescue group for help," said an officer.
Friendly dog makes for easy rescue mission
Animal Rescue Team Taiwan (ARTT) team leader Joseph Nee and a group of volunteers immediately rushed to the scene upon notification. "Fortunately, the golden retriever has a very warm and friendly disposition," said Nee. "When it saw us coming, it was as if it knew it was finally saved – wagging its tail and even playfully rolling on the floor with its belly exposed!"
"It was so comical and cute," recalled one volunteer. "It certainly made the rescue mission an easy and fun one!"
ARTT veterinarians who treated the dog at a nearby animal hospital in Sanmin District said that blood tests revealed it suffered from heartworm disease, for which they will place it on an injection therapy as soon as possible.
Owner's identity still unclear
"The bad news is that we are yet to identify the owner of this dog since we were unable to find a microchip on its body, so we remain unclear on whether it is indeed lost or if it was sadly abandoned," said a veterinarian.
"Without a pet chip, there is very little chance for us to find out who the owner of the dog is," said Nee. "Regardless, we will make sure that once this happy fellow has recovered its health, it goes to a loving new family and never goes back to living on the streets again."
