Clever dog who was lost reunited with family after she 'hands herself' to nearby police station

On November 4, Rosie, a "happy-go-lucky" border collie who enjoys "chasing squirrels" and "fetching balls," was out on a walk at around 4 pm with her owner Steve Harper, 68, when they heard a loud crash. After being startled by fireworks, the rescue dog ran away from her human, but the cunning canine promptly "handed herself in" to a nearby police station, per Independent. Julie, Steve's wife, was at home and uninformed that 10-year-old Rosie had vanished, but could not be reached on her cell despite Steve's best efforts.

The Leicestershire Police department shared a clip from the department's CCTV footage, with an adorable caption praising the young dog's smart instincts. "The pack at Loughborough Police Station made a new furry friend last week after a lost dog strolled into the station. We've collared the CCTV of the Border Collie, Rosie, so you can see her approaching the doors before walking in and taking a seat in the corner. Good dog," the police department wrote in the caption.

Rosie can be seen on the CCTV footage strolling about the police station's entrance before resting down next to the doors. The shocked cops verified Rosie's collar, which bore the name and phone number of her owner, and then called Steve to inform him that Rosie was secure. The black and white dog sipped on some water and soaked up all the staff cuddles as she awaited a ride home.

"Our staff fetched some water for Rosie and made fast friends with plenty of fuss. Thankfully she was wearing a collar, so a lead was available to contact Rosie's owner, who was delighted she had been found safe and well. Rosie was being walked nearby with a second dog when she managed to wander off. What a lovely, clever dog!" the post said, appreciating the doggo's instincts!

62-year-old Julie, Steve's wife, told the Independent, “Someone let off a firework and Rosie does not like loud bangs. Rosie ran back to my husband but, before he could put the lead back on, another firework went off and she just shot off. My husband was upset and very distressed.”

Since Rosie is a rescue dog that the couple got from K9Focus, a dog rescue center in Devon, she may be very sensitive to loud sounds and sudden noises such as those from fireworks. The collie "hates bonfire night," according to Julie, and every time she hears a firework, she will simply "run and hide in the bath and shake." 

Julie received a call from Leicestershire Police at around 4.30 p.m. as she was taking the couple's other dog, Laser, for a stroll to their home. “They said, ‘Have you got a black and white collie?’ I said, ‘Yes’, and then they said, ‘She just walked up and handed herself into the station’,” Julie described the phone call.

After that, Julie, a mother of five, called her husband to let him know Rosie was okay. Julie praised the police for their "amazing" work and expressed her gratitude for Rosie's safe return. "I was so pleased and so happy she was safe and so proud of her that she was clever enough to find her way to the police station," Julie said, per Mirror.