Rescuing a stray puppy is not typically what police officers are supposed to do, but some kind-hearted officers don’t do it for the job. Some genuinely want to help little ones who can’t help themselves. Officer Kareem Garibaldi of the Lakeland Police Department in Florida is one of those wonderful people.
Officer Garibaldi was driving his patrol car one early morning in May 2016 when he almost hit a small Pit/Boxer mix puppy. The 8-to-10-week-old pup had no ID tags or collars and was just running around loose.
Officer Garibaldi searched high and low for the puppy’s family with no success, so he took to social media. By posting pictures of the pup online, he fingers crossed that somebody in the neighborhood would recognize her.
Since he couldn’t find any of the dog’s relatives, he took her to the police station for food and warmth until his shift ended. He refused to let her fend for herself.
Officer Garibaldi had been working 12-hour shifts for three days straight when he met the pup. He knew he had to do more, so on his day off, Officer Garibaldi took the dog to get medical help and inspection from SPCA Florida Medical Center.
Officer Garibaldi and the puppy waited in the waiting room from 8:45 a.m. to noon while the vet did a checkup. Connie Johnson, who is the shelter’s safety net manager, took a photo that has gone viral after she ran into them earlier that morning.
“This morning, when I walked into the clinic at SPCA Florida, I couldn’t help but take a picture. Officer Kareen had worked all night and still went out of his way to make sure this puppy was safe and sound. Thank you so much for everything you do–you’re an inspiration!“
The exhausted man clearly needed sleep after a long weekend, but he had different priorities. The Lakeland Police Department shared the touching story on Facebook where it rightfully received plenty of attention.
“Officer Garibaldi’s act of kindness is what makes the Lakeland Police Department stand out. Despite working all weekend, he still had enough compassion at the end of his shift to help a dog in need.“
Johnson echoed the department’s statement and pointed out the officer’s commitment to this dog was nothing short of kindhearted.
It was an unselfish act. He wasn’t worrying about getting home to sleep. His primary concern was helping the puppy survive. At one point, he woke up just to make sure she was okay before going back to sleep.
Thankfully, Officer Garibaldi’s efforts were not in vain. The puppy got adopted later that day by a dispatcher and they named her Hope.
The Lakeland Police Department stated that situations such as this commonly occur and generally go undocumented.
Though police officers often do heroic and selfless things for their communities, they seldom receive acknowledgment because they are humble people who don’t seek recognition.
To the people who always go above and beyond like Officer Garibaldi, hope this story serves as a reminder of how much we appreciate you!
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.