When a New Jersey police officer rescued an injured pit bull puppy, it was love at first sight.
Officer Matthew O’Hanlon with the Mount Laurel Police Department was in a business district of Mount Laurel when he and his colleague found an injured puppy wandering around.
The 14-week-old dog, which they rescued on Jan. 2, had neither identification tags nor a microchip.
However, the pooch did have a nasty cut on his forehead, and the officers knew he needed medical attention. So they sent the tiny pit bull to the Burlington County Animal Shelter in Westampton, where he received treatment.
The wound on the puppy’s head turned out to be a bite mark from another animal, and a tooth was even lodged inside his head.
Officer O’Hanlon was glad the puppy had received help, but he couldn’t stop thinking about the little guy.
“My fiancé and I were looking to get a pit bull, and when you see a pit bull puppy with an injury, it’s hard to pass up on,” said the 26-year-old officer.
Once the puppy had recovered, O’Hanlon was able to bring him to his new forever home. He and his fiancé named the dog Thor, after their favorite Marvel character.
On Jan. 17, the Mount Laurel Police Department shared an update on Facebook.
O’Hanlon hopes that the media attention will help dissolve the stigma surrounding the pit bull breed, which he described to GMA as “the most loving, affectionate, dogs I’ve ever had.”
“It’s [unfortunate] to see them get bad reputations when it’s really the way they’re raised,” he said. He also recommends adoption instead of buying from breeders.
“Adopt don’t shop,” he said.
