Mila & Joshua: NYPD Cop Explains How He Adopted The Abused Dog He Saved

Jen Chung

Published Dec 13, 2016

Modified Dec 13, 2016

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Jen Chung

Published Dec 13, 2016

Modified Dec 13, 2016

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While the new swamp gets built (classiest, most incredible swamp ever), let's just focus on the nice things that we get, okay? Like this heartwarming story about this police officer who adopted a malnourished dog who was chained to a door without any food or water. Police Officer Joshua Sailor said, "The first time I saw Mila, she had this huge chain wrapped around her neck that was holding her to the door."

In September, Sailor and other cops from the 113th Precinct responded to a call about an emaciated 8-month-old pit bull at an abandoned building in Jamaica, Queens. According to the Daily News, "Someone chained Mila to a foot-wide gap between the home’s main door and screen door without any food or water, likely an attempt to keep burglars and squatters away, police say. Neighbors heard the gray-and-white dog barking for days before calling 911."

When officers managed to free Mila, she ran right to Sailor. He decided he would adopt her then and recalled, "I realized that this dog needed a lot of love and I have a lot of love to give."

Mila's paws were bloody from trying to scratch her way out. The walls around her were chewed, and cops believe she was trying to eat the wall because she was so hungry. Mila went to the ASPCA for recovery, and, when Sailor visited her again, she ran right to him, "ignoring the treats that they had put out on the floor."

The NYPD has been working with the ASPCA to investigate animal cruelty incidents since 2014. Dogs Grayson and Luther, for example, were rescued by the NYPD and are now available for adoption at the ASPCA's Upper East Side adoption center.

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animal cruelty

aspca

joshua sailor

mila

rescued dog