Chicago police dog who's scared of thunder returns

[May 18, 2009]  CHICAGO (AP) -- A Chicago police dog named Bear who is apparently a scaredy-cat when it comes to thunder is back home after going AWOL during a storm.

Authorities say Bear, who went missing several days ago, was found safe, but dirty, Sunday morning by a man walking to a hardware store.

The man says he saw the dog at a cemetery and flagged down Officer Ann Jaros, who says Bear recognized her squad car and "jumped right in."

A microchip in the dog's neck confirmed it was Bear.

The black and tan German shepherd scaled a wooden fence and disappeared Wednesday night after roaring thunder apparently frightened him.

He was in the yard of Officer Rick King's home at the time. King says he's slept little since Bear's disappearance, hoping the dog was OK.

King has said Bear's always been afraid of thunder.

[Associated Press]

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