(NECN: Kristen Carosa) - Webster, Mass. Police Officer Aaron Suss let his K9 Radar out in the yard when he got home from work Tuesday, but when he came out to get him, Radar wasn't there.
"When I came back outside, I noticed the door was unlatched, the fence was unlatched and he managed to become an escapee," Officer Suss says.
Officer Suss went looking for the 4-year-old dog in the neighborhood, the woods and the highway. His first thought was that he had been hit by car.
Officer Suss then turned to social media for help. Radar's picture went up on the department's Facebook and Twitter, and many people shared the post, including Massachusetts State Police.
"My phone was ringing non-stop. I was getting texts, we received a lot of messages on our Facebook page. Social media really did spread the word out," Suss says.
Many police officers and firefighters came out to help. A few hours later, a call came in from a home just a few streets away.
Radar was found at an apartment complex behind a restaurant on Lake Street. The owner says he was barking at the door and when he opened it up Radar ran right in.
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The homeowner thought it was stray dog at first, but a neighbor had seen a picture of Radar online. He called 911 and the dog was picked up.
"I think he said that this gentleman had the suspect we were looking for, or said something like that," Officer Suss recalls with a grin.
Back at home, Suss is back to work training Radar. He says he wants to thank everyone who dropped what they were doing to help get his partner back.
"They could tell how much it was affecting me, and you know, the guys were really went out there and I have to hand it to them," he says.
