Jersey Shore police officers drive hundreds of miles to reunite dog with owner

Two Jersey Shore police officers recently drove hundreds of miles to reunite a dog with her owner. 

Wall Township Police Department Ptl. Frank Kuhl first made contact with Bella, a female basset hound, on July 15 when he was dispatched to an office park to assist a 34-year-old man from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The man needed medical assistance and had an inoperable vehicle, police said in a release. 

Kuhl advised the man that the Monmouth County Humane Society would take temporary custody of Bella until arranagements could be made for authorities to release the dog back to him, promising that he would return Bella.

But Monmouth County Humane Society General Manager Veronica Ehrenspeck advised Kuhl that the organization could only hold Bella for seven days before putting her up for adoption.

That’s when Kuhl, who made a promise, contacted Bella’s other owner in Myrtle Beach.

But there was a problem. 

“Her owner was distraught by not having the ability to make the trip,” the release said.

Kuhl then began to make arranagements for Bella’s trip back to South Carolina. 

Ehrenspeck granted Kuhl temporary custody of the dog, who stayed with Kuhl and his wife, Denise, daughter, Olivia, and son, Michael, for two weeks.

That’s when Ptl. Michael Tancredi approached Kuhl and told him he’d like to travel with him for the reunion. 

On August 4, Kuhl and Ptl. Michael Tancredi drove hundreds of miles to South Carolina, arriving later in the day and delivering Bella to her family.

The owner expressed her “gratitude and thanks” to the police officers for their assistance, the release said.