Loose bearded dragon in Louisiana becomes police officer's 'new buddy'

June 8 (UPI) -- A Louisiana police officer responding to a call about a lizard on the loose ended up making "a new buddy" in the form of an escaped bearded dragon.

The Slidell Police Department said Officer Thomas Swanton responded responded to a report of an iguana on the loose in a residential area and the officer arrived to find the animal was actually a bearded dragon.

Swanton, who keeps iguanas and bearded dragons as pets, picked the lizard up and "started petting him," the department said in a Facebook post. "The bond was instantaneous!'

The bearded dragon rode shotgun in Swanton's patrol car for the rest of his shift and went home with the officer at the end of the day. Police said Swanton will care for the bearded dragon until its owner can be found.

The department shared a photo of Swanton in his patrol car with "his new buddy" perched on his shoulder.