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DENVER — Three police officers helped save a dog that was abandoned by its owner at a restaurant at Denver International Airport.

According to the Denver Police Department, Sgt. Virginia Quinones received a call about an unknown man who had left his dog at a restaurant. Quinones responded to the restaurant, but the man was gone. She found a waitress at the location crying. The waitress reported that a man handed her the dog’s leash and said she can either take care of it or he would let it loose outside.

“The woman immediately agreed to keep the dog to protect it from suffering the alternative. The problem now was that she still had three hours left in her shift and she lives too far away to have someone come and pick up the dog,” DPD wrote on its Facebook page.

Quinones reached out to Officer Damon Marquez and Officer Dennis Moran, who also work for DPD. They were working outside and agreed to take care of the dog until it was able to go home with the waitress.

“Some paramedics, who just happened to be in the area, provided the officers with some sheets for the dog so he could rest and a bowl for water. The exhausted pup got comfortable and slept until it was time to go home,” DPD said.

When the waitress’ shift was over, the officers helped the dog into her vehicle. The officers then pooled some money and gave it to the woman to help with the unexpected costs associated with the unexpected adoption of the dog.