Kentucky officer adopts pup he helped rescue from burglary suspect

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) - A puppy's blue eyes were hard to resist after a Kentucky police officer found it while responding to a crime.

Officer Jeffrey Emerich, with the Louisville Metro Police Department, discovered the 7-week-old Australian Shepherd on March 7 after arresting 24-year-old Dezmond Jones at a traffic stop near South Jackson and East Jacob streets, reports WDRB.

The suspect was accused of harassing a woman and breaking into her home. When searching his vehicle, Emerich found what he initially thought was a dead puppy, "stuffed" under the passenger side seat.

According to WDRB, the arrest affidavit said, "The seat was so low the puppy had nearly no room to breathe," but Emerich soon discovered the puppy was alive, covered with urine, cold and thin.

"I was holding her the whole way in my car, just trying to warm her up a little bit," Emerich told WDRB. "So, hopefully we created a little bond that early."

Jones was arrested on an animal cruelty charge, as well as burglary and harassment. He pleaded guilty to the animal cruelty charge last week, according to court records.

Emerich adopted the blue-eyed, tan pup on Thursday, and is thinking of naming her Audrey.

"It's my grandma's name, and she's very special to me. So hopefully (the puppy) will be just as special...Her crystal blue eyes are shining," said Emerich, while holding the puppy. "She's happy, so I'm happy."