LMPD :: Louisville Metro Police Department
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Missing police dog found safe

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It's a happy ending after four very unsure days for a Louisville Metro Police officer who lost his bomb sniffing K-9. Milly, the golden retriever went missing Saturday afternoon. It wasn't until Tuesday evening after WAVE 3 put out a notice that LMPD was looking for the dog that they learned she had traveled up to Clark County, Indiana.

Four days without knowing where Milly had disappeared to were enough to make Louisville Metro Police turn to viewers to get answers.

"Within two hours of this being broadcast and all the local media stations we had our call center flooded with calls looking to assist," explained LMPD Sergeant Robert Biven.

Milly is no ordinary house pet. She is a police-trained K-9 that sniffs out bombs and explosives. LMPD said Milly, who escaped from her home around 4:30 p.m. Saturday, was able to get out the screen door of a new home and was possibly chasing a squirrel.

Biven said Milly was picked up by a woman from Borden, Indiana who thought the dog was a stray. The woman found Milly not far from her Jeffersontown home in an AutoZone parking lot off Hurstbourne Parkway near Stony Brook.

"She put the dog in her car and proceeded back to her residence in Borden, Indiana about 30 miles from Louisville," said Biven.

Once home, LMPD said the woman posted pictures of Milly on Facebook. When the story about Milly being missing was aired on TV, they got a call from someone who saw both pictures and got Milly's owner in touch with the lady who picked her up.

"It was a joyous occasion," said Biven. "The dog was very happy to be back with its owner."

LMPD said the majority of their dogs are microchipped, but Milly is not. They have plans in place to microchip all their dogs and this incident may speed up that process.

The department is looking into whether the officer who handles Milly should face any disciplinary action.