A shelter dog named Arrow had been living at the Burlington County Animal Shelter for eight months when something really special happened.
Deb Bucci, an animal attendant at the shelter, knew there was something special about Arrow, who was a Belgian Malinois. That breed in particular goes crazy when they get locked in kennels. A Facebook post led Bucci to the co-founder and chief financial officer of the Rescue 22 Foundation Angela Connor. Connor helps train dogs who help disabled veterans.
When Connor came in to evaluate Arrow she knew he wasn't a good fit for a service dog, but instead something else. She told the Burlington County Times, "I came in and evaluated Arrow and decided that a lot of the behavior that most people would find challenging was actually exactly the behavior we're looking for to develop into police work."
With some training under his belt, Arrow was ready for his new role. He became a patrol dog and drug scent dog for the Lower Southampton Township police department. He got partnered with Patrolman Kyle Heasley, who Arrow now lives with. Heasley told the newspaper, "He is just like a family dog when we go home. He knows when to turn it off. He knows when we go to work."
Photo: Getty Images