Lost Dog Turns Himself In and Calls Shotgun in Cop Car

Mary Simpson
by Mary Simpson
Ruger, a Black Labrador Retriever, knows when to stop and ask for directions… or a ride home. This smart pooch hitched a ride with a police officer when he wandered away from home.


We’ve always known that our four-legged buddies are resourceful, but one pooch outside of San Francisco proved that he’s also clever, shameless and a tad lazy to boot. Out for a walk-about that ended with him becoming just a wee bit lost, black Lab Ruger had no way of knowing that his pet parents had been searching for him all evening.


Related: Why a Lost Dogs Behavior Impacts Why and Where He Roams


In spite of the California locale, the temperature had dropped to a cool 20 degrees and our lost Lab decided that it was best to forego his adventure and find a warm spot to bed down for the night. Enter one Sheriff’s Deputy Jon Hammell, who had pulled over to investigate a suspicious vehicle. Dashing into action, the Deputy inadvertently left his car door open and running, returning to find one grateful pooch curled up nice and snug in the passenger seat… after having climbed over the police radio and walkie-talkie to assume the coveted shotgun position.


Thankfully, the recovered pooch’s mom and dad had made sure their contact details were on his collar so getting their boy home safe and sound was as simple as a phone call and ride in patrol car. No word on whether sirens and flashing lights were involved in Ruger’s arrival home.

Mary Simpson
Mary Simpson

Sharing space with three seriously judgy Schnoodles and two felines who prefer to be left alone. #LivingMyBestLife

More by Mary Simpson

Next