LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Police officers are known to patrol with canines by their sides. But what about kittens?
Cassie Leuck, a patrol officer with Lafayette Police Department, found a new partner Tuesday after she responded to reports of a stray kitten found at Murdock Park.
Lueck, who works the night shift, stopped by the park about 7 p.m. to pick up the crying kitten, which immediately warmed up to her. As the fur-ball rested on her shoulders, she snapped a selfie that later went viral on a Facebook page supporting Indiana police officers.
As of noon Wednesday, the photo posted to the "Indiana Going Blue" Facebook page had garnered 910 likes, 31 shares and 25 comments.
"Once I picked her up, she climbed on the back of my vest and she kind of chilled up there," Lueck said in an interview Wednesday. "And I got in the car and she was kind of hanging out up there, so I took a couple pictures."
Leuck said she met an animal control officer at LPD's downtown headquarters to pass off the kitten, which was taken to Almost Home Humane Society. Staff there said the kitten, who now is awaiting adoption, likely was born wild.
"I'm definitely debating on adopting her," Leuck said. "I've got two dogs myself; I don't have any cats and definitely considering it."
