Lost Dog Saved on the Highway with Granola Bar

ANDOVER, MA - It’s rare that a traffic jam can be cleared up with a granola bar, but that’s what happened on Rte. 495 in Methuen on Wednesday as state and local police rescued a lost dog from the busy highway.

Early Wednesday afternoon, the State Police Barracks in Andover received reports of a large German Shepherd walking in the travel lanes on the southbound side of Route 495 in Methuen. The pup was walking in and out of traffic in all three lanes, according to the State Police.

Troopers Malachy Higgins and Dana Atkinson responded and located the dog, and tried to escort her off the roadway and toward an off-ramp. The dog, however, ran back into traffic. With the help of Methuen Police and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, all lanes of traffic were temporarily closed.

Trooper Higgins then lured the the roamin’ pup into his cruiser with a granola bar. The dog jumped into the driver’s seat and sat behind the wheel. Trooper Higgins got into the cruiser and got the tired pooch to move over into the passenger seat.

Trooper Higgins drove the German Shepherd off the highway and onto Marston Street, where the pup was turned over to Lawrence Animal Control, who in turn returned Lexi to her family, no doubt much to their relief.

Photos courtesy of Methuen and Lawrence Police