After nearly dying at park, rescued puppy finds home with police officer

MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. – An abandoned puppy’s head was swollen. His skin was covered with sores and scabs. Miami-Dade police officers said the rope around his neck was tied so tightly that it left cuts in his skin.

The sick puppy was hiding under a bush at the Walter A. White Park in Miami-Dade’s Richmond Heights neighborhood when police officers found him suffering.

“When the call came out it was stating that there was a dog that was possibly dead,” Officer Albert Hernandez said.

The officers took the dog to Miami-Dade Animal Services. The rescue group Humans and Animals United brought him to Veterinarian Paula Ferreira, who gave him a new chance at life.

“He was just extremely, extremely dehydrated, and very, very anemic,” Ferreira said. “His blood levels were so low we were already considering a transfusion.”

Ferreira treated him for about three weeks and said he was going to make a full recovery. He just needed a permanent home. Officer Lauren Garcia stepped up after colleagues told her the story.

Garcia decided to adopt him on the spot and she named him Kilo Kingsley.

“They started sending me the pictures that completely broke my heart,” Garcia said. “When I saw him I knew this is exactly what I needed.”


About the Authors:

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.