Escaped bomb-sniffing dog captured

ROMULUS, Mich., Jan. 17 (UPI) -- A retired bomb-sniffing dog that worked at the White House was captured Tuesday after escaping from handlers and biting two officers at a Detroit Airport.

Arco, a 5-year-old Belgian shepherd, had arrived on a flight Monday from Arizona to be united with new owners, but got loose when the owner let him out to relieve himself, the Detroit Free Press reported.

Arco bit two Romulus police officers when they attempted to grab him by the collar around 5:30 a.m. near Detroit Metro Airport. One officer required stitches to a bite on his hand.

Animal control officers and police captured the dog Tuesday afternoon using a looped leash. Arco will be quarantined for 10 days at the Romulus Animal Shelter before being released to the new owners.

Arco had been at Rescued Helpers Inc. for the past seven months, but founder Nadine Karsevar told the newspaper he was not an aggressive dog.

"He's not vicious," she said. "We have had him at events. We have had him in parades."

Arco was retired because he killed a cat that came into the backyard in Virginia where he worked as a bomb-sniffing dog.