Volunteer police officer rescues dog tied to the back of moving truck in Arizona

An absent-minded trucker can thank a volunteer with an Arizona sheriff’s office for saving his dog from being dragged to death.

The life-saving traffic stop happened earlier this month at a gas station in Ash Fork thanks to an eagle-eyed “volunteer in protection” — or VIP — with the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office who spotted the leashed pooch trying to keep pace with a moving semi-trailer.

According to the police department’s Facebook post this week, the volunteer happened to be in the right place at the right time.

And, all of it was caught on heart-stopping dash-cam video.

A distracted driver in Arizona forgot he tied his dog to his truck. Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook

“In the video, one of our VIPS was leaving a parking lot after a quick drink break to assist a deputy when he came across a tractor trailer pulling out of a gas station parking lot with a dog attached to the trailer bumper,” the sheriff’s office said.

That when he tried to get the driver’s attention.

This trip would have ended very badly. Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook

“The driver was heading to the interstate,” police said. “He quickly activated his lights and siren to alert the driver who stopped and was notified about the dog in tow.”

The owner was “very grateful,” untied the dog and brought it inside, the sheriff’s office said.

“The driver was simply distracted and headed towards the interstate forgetting to unleash his dog,” police added.

The dog tried desperately to keep up. Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook

No charges will be laid.

The dog was not injured.

Photos Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office/Facebook

 

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Recovering newspaper reporter.

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