When cop Earl Hanners heard about a box that someone had abandoned by the roadside, curiosity got the better of him. So, he went to investigate – but what he found was shocking.

When one cop received a call on his radio about an abandoned box, he thought it sounded pretty bizarre. So, he decided to check out the scene for himself. However, what he found there would leave him astounded.

Earl Hanners works as a Deputy in the City of Atlanta Police Department in Georgia. Moreover, as part of his job, he attends to all manner of incidents ¬¬¬– from skirmishes to major accidents. As a result, Hanners recently responded to a car crash just outside the city.

Hanners remembers the day well. That’s because it was a scorcher, with temperatures soaring to 87° F. Furthermore, there was another reason that the day became one to remember for the cop.

As Hanners was attending to the scene of the car crash, he heard a strange call on his dispatch radio. Apparently, someone had found a box on the side of the road. Moreover, it contained a heartbreaking secret.

As Hanners was occupied at the scene of the accident, another officer went to investigate the box. However, curiosity soon go the better of Hanners, and he ended up visiting the scene himself. That’s when he stumbled upon the most tragic scene.

Indeed, it seemed that someone had used the cardboard box to dump a small puppy in the middle of nowhere in the relentless heat. The little dog was little more than two months old at the time. Moreover, it had been through an immensely stressful experience.

“She was in a cardboard box and it was closed in,” Hanners explained to The Dodo in June 2017. “A passerby saw the box and stopped, and saw there was a puppy in it. So, he opened up the box and laid it on the side and got some water for it. Then [he] called 911.”

When Hanners’ colleague had arrived, he’d alerted animal control. However, by the time Hanners got there, they still hadn’t turned up. So, the kindly police officer ended up taking matters into his own hands.

“I told the guy to cancel animal control,” Hanners revealed. He then informed his colleague that he was going to take the puppy to a vet and have her checked out.” He subsequently transported the poor animal home, where he could call a local veterinary surgery.

However, in the car it became clear that the puppy was not in a good way. Indeed, throughout the journey she barely moved an inch. Dehydrated and far too hot, all she could do was lay beside the box and try to keep herself cool.

Once the pair arrived home, Hanner placed the dog – who he decided to call Bridget – outside in the breeze. “We got her on the back porch,” Hanners revealed. “And I called my vet’s office and told them what I had.”

While waiting for the vet to arrive, Hanners did everything he could to make the puppy comfortable. “I gave her water and food and just let her kick back and relax and regroup from all the heat,” he said. “She ate about three or four bowls of food and water.”

Seeing little Bridget’s fighting spirit was heartwarming for Hanners. Indeed, before long, the police officer had begun falling head-over-heels in love with the dog. So, he decided against handing her in to a shelter and instead adopted the puppy himself.

Thankfully, Hanners was already experienced when it came to dealing with down-and-out doggies. In fact, when he wasn’t busy with work, he helped to foster animals for a local rescue shelter called Hounds in Pounds. Furthermore, he already had eight pugs of his own.

So, Hanners knew exactly what to do to help Bridget settle in with his other dogs. As a result, before allowing them to mix, Bridget received a full check-up and all her vaccinations. He also kept her in isolation for ten days before allowing her in the household.

Still, Hanners needn’t have stressed too much. Because as soon as Bridget met his other dogs, they got on like a house on fire. “We just introduced her to the other dogs in the house last night,” Hanners revealed. “It just takes a day or two of watching, and they blend right into the pack.”

In the meantime, police tried to find the heartless people who’d abandoned Bridget in the first place. However, their investigations proved to be fruitless. So, all Hanners and his family could do now was focus on the dog’s future.

Thankfully, Bridget was able to put her traumatic past firmly behind her. With Hanners’ help, she was doing well and beginning to enjoy life. Finally, she was able to experience love for the first time.

“She just loves to cuddle,” Hanners said in his interview with The Dodo. Moreover, Bridget was a big softie when it came to kids. “She loves my grandchildren,” he added. “She’s just a very, very sweet, loving dog.”

So, while it’s unlikely that those who dumped Bridget will be brought to justice, at least the puppy found happiness. Moreover, although Hanners should never have gone to the spot where the dog had been abandoned, he found a new best friend in the process. Some things, it seems, are just meant to be.