Greenville police say a puppy sniffed out a crime, helping them avert a possible tragedy Tuesday afternoon.

Ryder, a pit bull puppy, had dug up a fully loaded .38 special revolver at Rosemont Apartments. The gun was wrapped in a T-shirt and Ryder's owner called police after the discovery.

Officers safely unloaded the weapon and it's now stored in the police department's evidence room.

Ryder is credited with keeping the gun from falling into the wrong hands, according to police.

Police say there may be some freelance work in the future for the puppy. "We'll have our people call yours," they posted on social media.