After a nearly 48-hour impromptu vacation, an Atlanta police K-9 is back at home in Bogart with his handler.
K-9 Ben, who has been with the department for eight years, dashed into the woods near his home instead of hopping into his handler’s truck to go to work Tuesday morning. The 9-year-old German short-haired pointer was found in good health near his home Thursday around 9 a.m.
He is assigned to Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, and every day before work his handler would let him out of his kennel to load up and make the trip to Atlanta, police said. But Ben had other plans that day.
News of the K-9′s disappearance made it to Georgia First Lady Marty Kemp, who tweeted Tuesday asking for residents of Oconee County to be on the lookout.
“Join me in praying that he returns safely home soon,” she said.
Multiple local and state law enforcement agencies, including the Georgia State Patrol’s aviation unit, joined the search for the runaway four-legged officer. Atlanta officers also made the 1½-hour drive to help search, including the deployment of a drone that extensively canvassed the area. Still, there was no sign of Ben until two days later.
Police said he will be evaluated by a veterinarian as a precaution. Officials have not said if or when he will return to work.
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