Resisting arrest: Sassy pup gives officer attitude

It's probably not the first time Summerside Police Const. Craig Murphy got lip from someone he put in the back of his paddy wagon, but it's the first time he got it from a dog.

Murphy showed his sense of humour when he posted to Twitter a picture of Max, a five-month old black lab, sticking his tongue out in the back of the police van before it was taken to the dog pound.

"When asked his name he stuck his tongue out and refused to answer," he posted.

The witty comment was widely circulated on social media.

The dog's owner told Murphy he was working on Greenwood Drive in Summerside when he turned his back for a moment and the dog was gone.

Jumped into transfer truck

Turns out, the mischievous mutt had jumped into a transfer truck parked nearby as the driver was inside a business making a delivery.

"He had left the door open to his truck and went inside the building, came back out and there was a dog sitting in the driver's seat of the truck," Murphy said.

The driver flagged down Murphy, who drove Max to the pound.

Definitely not as high stress as some of the calls we go on.– Const. Craig Murphy

"While I was there I took a picture of him, and put him up on Twitter, just so happened the dog stuck his tongue out when I was taking the picture," Murphy said.

Max was at the pound for about a half an hour before his owner was found.

Summerside Police often get calls of lost dogs or dogs on the loose, Murphy said. When word spreads on social media, the dogs and owners are often reunited more quickly.

Social media a big help

"I like to see people retweeting and sharing the pictures like that because in the event that we had some difficulty tracking down the dog's owner, that circulates much faster around the community," he said. "Everyone's on social media now so it's definitely a big help."

Max, meanwhile, was able to add some lightness to Murphy's day.

"It was a great dog," Murphy said. "When I went to take it out of the transfer truck the tail was wagging. Definitely not as high stress as some of the calls we go on."

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