ATASCOSA COUNTY, Texas -- After four days of searching, Villy, the Bexar County Fire Marshal's Office K-9, has been found.
Officials with Bexar County tell KENS 5 that a Good Samaritan spotted the dog limping on the side of the road and picked him up.
Villy was returned to Bexar County Fire Marshal Chris Lopez on Monday evening.
The Bexar County Fire Marshal asked via Facebook for the public's help in finding their only law enforcement K-9 after Villy went missing around 7:15 a.m. Friday.
Villy is only trained for detection work, but has health issues with his rear legs which requires medication. He also has an internal chip that identifies him.
"Somebody stopped and picked him up," Lopez said. "So, no, nobody went onto my property and stole him. That's what happened."
Villy's handler moved in November. Lopez has the most years of experience as a K-9 handler, so he decided to take Villy under his wing.
Unfortunately, on Friday, February 24, Lopez says that another family member let the dog out of its kennel, and Villy never came back.
"I throw on my shorts, a t-shirt, and my cowboy boots and I'm out the door," said Lopez, after he realized Villy ran off his property.
Lopez says that a neighbor spotted the K-9 walking near the area of FM 476 and FM 2146 in Atascosa County near Poteet.
Villy joined the department just two years ago, and is the fire marshal's first accelerant detection K-9.
"He goes into fire scenes, he smells for any one of 14 different ignitable liquids that he's trained on," said Lopez, who plans to retire Villy because of the dog's health issues.
Dozens of people called in tips and offered pictures in hopes that the dog they found was Villy. Luckily, one of those calls turned out to be about the right missing dog.
The Bexar County Fire Marshal's Office has applied for another ATF K-9. Once they get a new law enforcement canine, Villy can retire.
