When officer Neil Kline from Kansas’s Wichita Animal Control knocked on Bill Boettcher’s door, he did it because a concerned citizen called to report an injured dog in Boettcher’s back yard. The officer came prepared to face animal neglect, but what he found was completely the opposite.

Boettcher, an ARMY veteran and former law enforcement officer owns Bubba. The dog has been this man’s companion for more than ten years and the pet owner has always taken good care of his pet. However, Boettcher is facing tough financial times and after Bubba got injured he couldn’t afford treatment.

Instead of reporting Boettcher and taking his pet away, officer Kline did something else. He contacted the Kansas Humane Society to see if they could do something to help Bubba and his veteran owner.

“I understand that there are people that are down on their luck, that are having a hard time. There’s a difference between people that just obviously don’t care about their animals,” Kline told KAKE News. “Then there’s people like Bill here that are doing their best with what they have, to care for their animals, and sometimes they just need a little extra help.”

The Kansas Humane Society examined Bubba and determined the leg injury is serious. The best they could to help the dog is amputate the leg. All services are being donated by the staff at the Humane Society and Boettcher does not have to pay a dime. Bubba is schedule for surgery on Tuesday, May 26, 2015.

What started as an animal neglect case ended with an officer helping a pet and his owner in need. Not all pet owners are as caring and dedicated as Boettcher, and when those pet owners fall on harsh times its good to know there are people out there willing to lend a hand instead of judging them.