EASTPOINTE, Mich. (WXYZ) — A man was arrested for allegedly driving under the influence after crashing into a pole in Eastpointe Tuesday afternoon, but police discovered he wasn't alone in the vehicle — a dog was hiding in the backseat.
Watch Carli Petrus's video report:
The incident occurred near Donald Avenue and Semrau, where Eastpointe police found the suspected drunk driver after he hit at least one pole. When officers approached the vehicle, they heard growling and realized there was a dog inside protecting the car.
"They heard a growl, and then they looked and saw this big, beautiful girl just doing her job and protecting her car," said Animal Control Officer Ashley Sanchez.
Sanchez and her partner were called to the scene to safely remove the dog, named Bella, from the vehicle. Their priority was keeping the animal calm in what was already a stressful situation.
"We're fortunate because our PD trusts us and trusts our skills so that they don't have to intervene and do anything harmful to the animal," Sanchez said.
The officers coordinated with the tow company to delay removing the vehicle until Bella's sober owner could arrive to retrieve her. The strategy worked, allowing the dog to remain in familiar surroundings until she could be safely reunited with her owner.
"Because she got to stay in her familiarity, so we waited, the owner came, the sober owner came, got the dog out very peacefully and quietly on her own," Sanchez said.
To educate the public about the incident, Sanchez posted Bella's story on Facebook, where it reached thousands of people. Many praised the two-person animal control department's patience in handling the situation.
"It happens a lot more than people realize, where people are just making the wrong choices for themselves, but they're also involving animals," Sanchez said.
Some readers expressed surprise that the dog wasn't immediately removed from the scene, as often happens in similar situations. Sanchez explained that Eastpointe Animal Control has advantages other agencies may lack.
"I think other agencies, other ACO agencies are very limited in their resources, so some may not have the benefits that we do, where we are attached to our PD system, so we have access to gaining phone numbers and addresses, as where they don't," she said.
Sanchez recommends pet owners get microchips for their animals as an additional safety measure. Eastpointe Animal Control is offering free microchip and registration services this month, which resident Jim Burman recently used for his son's dog.
"For their safety, you never know," Burman said.
The incident serves as a reminder that impaired driving affects everyone, including animals who cannot speak for themselves.
"Be smarter, don't make dumb decisions. If you're going to make a stupid decision, like get drunk, do it at home, stay at home. Stay at home, keep yourself safe, keep your pets safe, keep others safe," Sanchez said.
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