Hanners was working a car accident near Atlanta, Georgia, when he heard an unusual call over the dispatch radio. Someone had found a 10-week-old puppy inside a box that had been abandoned on the side of the road.

Deputy Hanners checking the cardboard box in which the puppy was found.

“It was in a cardboard box and it was closed,” Hanners said. “A passerby saw the box and stopped, and saw that there was a puppy inside. So he opened the box and put it aside and got some water out, then called 911.”

Since Hanners was busy with the car accident, another officer went to check on the puppy and ended up calling animal control. But as soon as Hanners could, he went to help the puppy himself.

“I told the guy … to cancel animal control,” Hanners said. “I’m going to take the puppy and take her to a vet to get her checked out.”

When Hanners got there, the puppy hadn’t moved, just laying next to the box, hot and dehydrated.

Hanners picked up the puppy, whom he named Bridget, and placed her in his patrol car. then she approached home.

Bridget after being rescued

“We took her out to the back porch, and I called my vet’s office and told them what she had,” Hanners said. “I gave her water and food, and let her rest, relax and recover from all the heat. She ate about three or four bowls of food and water.”

Hanners quickly realized that he didn’t want to let her go; Instead of finding her a home, he decided to give one to Bridget.

Bridget is not the first dog Hanners has rescued, she also has eight rescue pugs and fosters dogs for a local rescue group called Hounds in Pounds.

But before introducing Bridget to the other dogs, Hanners made sure she was fully checked by the vet and vaccinated. To play it safe, Hanners also kept Bridget isolated for 10 days.

But the other dogs were eager to meet Bridget, and when they finally met, they got along very well, Hanners said.

“We just introduced her to the other dogs in the house last night,” Hanners said. “It only takes a day or two of observation, and they blend in perfectly with the herd.”

Hanner and his other rescue dogs

Unfortunately, no one has been caught for abandoning Bridget inside the cardboard box, and the initial investigation led nowhere. But the good news is that Bridget is alive and well, and she has found the perfect family who will love her forever.

“He loves to hug,” Hanners said. “She loves my grandchildren. “She’s just a very, very sweet loving dog.”

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