METHUEN, MASS. (WHDH) - A Bloodhound who once spent his days tracking suspects for the Billerica Police Department is now in need of a loving home after he tragically lost his leg and job following a bout with a debilitating form of cancer.

Blue, 3, was on the verge of being assigned a new handler when he was diagnosed with cancer, according to the MSPCA at Nevins Farm and Angell Animal Medical Center.

Sgt. John Harring, Blue’s trainer, brought him to the veterinarian facility in April after noticing a growth on his right front leg.

“We thought it was just a fatty cyst, the kind of growth that is so common with dogs,” Harring told the MSPCA.

Unfortunately, Blue was not so lucky.

The dedicated member of the Billerica police force, whose unparalleled sense of smell aided his department in many ways, was diagnosed with a soft tissue sarcoma.

Because soft tissue sarcoma requires rapid intervention to prevent growth, Blue’s leg was amputated to ensure the disease would not spread to vital organs.

“Amputation would offer Blue the best chance of trying to cure this form of cancer,” said Dr. Nick Trout, who performed the surgery on May 7.

Blue’s leg amputation effectively ended his career with the department but the MSPCA says his future remains bright.

He is currently recovering at Nevins Farm in Methuen, where staffers hope a loving adopter will step forward to take him home.

“He is a wonderful dog—well trained, friendly and social—and we think his new ‘tripod’ status makes him all the more adorable,” said Meaghan O’Leary, director of the adoption center at the MSPCA at Nevins Farm.

Anyone interested in adopting Blue can email methuenadoptions@mspca.org with questions or visit the adoption center.

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