St. Pete Cop Known As Dog's Best Friend Rescues 4 Abandoned Pups

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — Shortly after his shift began at 2 p.m. July 4, and he got word that four small abandoned dogs were on the loose, St. Petersburg Police Officer Brian Origlio swung into rescue mode.

The dogs — a mom and her three Jack Russell/Chihuahua mix pups — had been dumped behind the Pinellas County Tax Collector's Office at 1067 62nd Ave. S. Residents spotted them around 7:30 a.m. but the frightened dogs evaded all attempts at capture until Origlio stepped in to help.

"There were two or three citizens with towels trying to catch them, and someone had put out food and water to attract them," said Origlio. "But they were scared and energetic."

Over the course of the next hour and a half, eight to 10 residents and a fellow officer stopped by to help round up the pups. The last one managed to run a few blocks away before he was captured.

Origlio placed the dogs in the back seat of his cruiser for the trip to the veterinarian for a checkup and then to the nonprofit Pawlicious Poochie Pet Rescue.

"We love our dogs in St. Petersburg," Origlio said.

It's true. St. Petersburg has been ranked one of the most pet-friendly cities in the United States.

A year ago, Mayor Rick Kriseman signed a proclamation declaring St. Petersburg a pet-friendly city and joined the Better Cities for Pets initiative to reduce pet homelessness and create a more welcoming environment for pets.

Kriseman followed up in February, launching the Mayor's Pet-Friendly Business Program featuring the St. Pete PAWS registry of all pet-friendly businesses in the city.

That program led to the city winning the 2019 Better Cities for Pets Award for large cities at the U.S. Conference of Mayors in Honolulu June 30. The honor included a $30,000 grant to continue its efforts to become more pet-friendly.

No one's more dedicated to creating a welcoming atmosphere for pets than Origlio, who's been affectionately nicknamed Officer Milk Bone by the community he serves.

He routinely patrols the streets of St. Petersburg with a pocketful of Milk Bones treats, distributing them to any dog he spots. Last year, he distributed more than 135 pounds of dog treats.

In between calls, Origlio can usually be found at one of St. Petersburg's dog parks where he's eagerly greeted by both canines and their companions.

"As soon as they see my cruiser, the dogs come running up to the fence," he said.

It's a practice enthusiastically endorsed by St. Petersburg Police Chief Anthony Holloway who launched a "Park, Walk & Talk" community policing initiative, requiring all officers to park their patrol cars for an hour each week, and get out and talk to residents.

Even on patrol, Origlio is quick to pull over when he spots someone walking a dog to offer the dog a treat. He's now on a first-name basis with most of the dogs in his patrol area, if not their human companions.

His love of dogs has become so legendary that, in January, a group of pet owners who frequent Lake Vista Dog Park presented Origlio with a large framed thank-you card, a 2-pound box of Milk Bones and a $25 gift card donated by the 54th Avenue South Publix.

Residents present an award to Officer Brian Origlio at the Lake Vista Dog Park.

His commitment to canines doesn't end when his shift if over at midnight. He goes home to his six small dogs, all of which were either rescued or surrendered by their owners.

"There are 75 million homes dogs and cats in the United States," he said. "We have a duty to protect them."

See related story: St. Petersburg Launches Pet-Friendly Initiative