NJ Police Officer Drives 650 Miles to Return Lost Dog to Owner

A dog-loving police officer went above and beyond the call of duty when he made a 650-mile drive from Monmouth County, New Jersey to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina to return a dog to its owner.

Wall Township Ptl. Frank Kuhl was called to the scene of an accident in which a Myrtle Beach man travelling with his Basset hound, Bella, was in need of medical care. While the driver was taken to the hospital, Bella was taken into the custody of the Monmouth County Humane Society where it is customary to hold dogs for one week before placing them for adoption.

A week later, Bella’s owner was still hospitalized and family members were unable to make the drive from Myrtle Beach to Monmouth County to bring her home. That’s when Ptl. Kuhl decided to help.

“It pulled on my heartstrings a little bit,” Ptl. Kuhl told CBSNewYork.com. “I have two dogs at home, and I got a vibe that this guy feels the same way about dogs that I do.”

Kuhl arranged with the dog’s family to drive the pup back to Myrtle Beach. On August 4, Kuhl, along with his partner Ptl. Michael Tancredi, drove 650-miles to bring Bella home to her family.

“As soon as she opened the door, she was so excited,” Ptl. Kuhl said. “She was calling to all her other dogs; ‘Bella’s home!’ ‘Bella’s home!’”

Kuhl may have been just as happy to return Bella home as her family was to see her. He said it was an experience he’ll never forget.