One good boy is free after being taken into police custody.
Meet Bungle: a 4-month-old chow puppy who got a little too excited after getting loose near his home in Towncaster, U.K. When officers caught him and tried to get him tied up, he bit an officer’s arm and hand.
This meant big trouble for Bungle. He was detained and, under the U.K.’s Dangerous Dogs Act, faced up to nine months in puppy prison.
But after an outcry over his arrest, the fluffy pooch is free after serving five days for his crime. Bungle’s owners David and Susan Hayes unleashed a major social media campaign criticizing the Northamptonshire police department for taking strong actions against a puppy.
Bungle the chow-chow puppy bit a police officer – he faces months away from his family. Now the #FreeBungle campaign is gaining support 🐕 https://t.co/DMXUzoHaeS @ITVCentral pic.twitter.com/8V50K1FLG0
— Tejinder Kaur (@TejinderITV) November 22, 2018
If you’ve ever been around a puppy, you know they don’t have the best manners and are still learning what is OK to put in their mouths.
And people heard the Hayes’ pleas. Since they posted about the incident on social media almost 11,000 people signed a petition to free the chow and thousands joined a Facebook group created to draw attention to the cause.
People also took to Twitter advocating for the pup to be set free, using the #Bungle or #FreeBungle hashtags.
Let’s do whatever we can to get #Bungle back to his family. How can he be classed as a dangerous dog !!! Let’s have some common sense here people 😤😤😤
— Jane Barnett (@JaneBarnett5) November 21, 2018
#freebungle. This has been handled in a disgraceful manner. Terrified dog reacts in a completely natural way. Why don’t you fight real crime and return Bungle home. Shambles of a police force
— Donna 🌸💜🤍💚🌸 (@foskerda) November 22, 2018
What an incompetent decision by @NorthantsPolice. Poor bungle was scared and lost, what do you expect? Absolute clowns making wrong decisions about a breed they don’t know much about. #freebungle #chowchow @MailOnline @BBC3CR @TheSun #bearandbonnie
— Kenny Cook (@KennyCook) November 22, 2018
https://twitter.com/Stacey_JL/status/1065502195695656960
@NorthantsPolice Free Bungle he is only a baby. Shame on you 😡 pic.twitter.com/9FmN1wfg56
— denise gibson (@denisegibson57) November 22, 2018
The story got so much attention Bungle made the cover of the U.K. tabloid the Sun.
https://twitter.com/silvesterldn/status/1065373557201473536
After returning Bungle to his owners Friday, the police department put out a statement denying the release had anything to do with the social media attention and backing the department’s decision to seize the puppy.
A Chow dog that was seized by officers under the Dangerous Dogs Act, after biting an officer twice, has been returned to its owners who have agreed to a Voluntary Control Order (VCO) and have been cooperative throughout.
— Northants Police (@NorthantsPolice) November 22, 2018
More here – https://t.co/N2Gov2CI4e
“To be absolutely clear, I fully support the officers’ actions, in this case, the dog was unattended in a live carriageway and was aggressive to those present resulting in the officer being bitten and receiving injuries that required hospital attention,” Chief Superintendent Chris Hillery said in the statement.
Now all the focus is on if Bungle is even still a puppy after spending time behind bars. Five days can really change a pup.
ALL COPS AFRAID (of) BUNGLE pic.twitter.com/LqqeOUHp4C
— Carrie Kelly (@karolinecelly) November 23, 2018
https://twitter.com/milo_miles34/status/1065913591314989056
I’ve seen things you people wouldn’t believe #Bungle pic.twitter.com/LRxWPlpyGE
— The Duke (@zanesmith2000) November 23, 2018
https://twitter.com/NewDaddyGolfer/status/1065982271532892161
All jokes aside, it’s good to see Bungle back with his owners. Even if he is now a little more bad to the bone.
H/T Mashable
