Missing police dog found safe

SWEETWATER, Fla., Jan. 2 (UPI) -- A Florida police bloodhound who disappeared from his handler's back yard was found two days later at a nearby church.

Sweetwater police officer Jenna Mendez said the 7-month-old dog, Gunner, absconded from her back yard about 5:30 p.m. Friday and was next seen about 10 a.m. Sunday, when an unidentified woman brought Gunner to Mendez's door and said she had found the canine at a nearby church and recognized him from news reports.

Mendez said Gunner appeared to be unharmed but was to be taken to a veterinarian "just to make sure," The Miami Herald reported Monday.

The officer said she and other investigators did not know where Gunner was during the time he was missing. Police deployed search teams, a helicopter and a bloodhound from a neighboring town in the search for Gunner.

"I'm not sure what happened to him," Mendez said.