Chihuahua running loose in San Diego lured to safety with Cheetos

SAN DIEGO — A Chihuahua dodging traffic in San Diego was finally picked up after the dog was tempted with some tasty snacks.

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It took a bag of Cheetos to lure the dog to safety, KSWB-TV reported. Appropriately, the small, tan dog has been named Cheeto Murphy by members of the San Diego Humane Society, according to the television station.

Officials with the humane society had been unable to catch the elusive male, unneutered canine, who had been reported by drivers from Jan. 14 through Tuesday, KSWB reported.

#DogRescue (2/2) Our Humane Officers named the dog "Cheeto Murphy" for now. He has been checked by our medical team, treated for fleas and is resting comfortably at our San Diego Campus. He has no microchip and will be placed on stray hold in hopes of an owner coming forward. pic.twitter.com/jLtgG3YdkZ
— San Diego Humane Society (@sdhumane) January 26, 2022

On Wednesday, Linda Lynch and Caroline Brewer were at their office near Murphy Canyon, when Lynch got a call from a co-worker, KFMB-TV reported.

“She said there was a dog running through the parking lot without a collar, and could I bring some food down that he might eat?” Lynch told the television station. “So I opened a drawer and I saw a bag of Cheetos. I thought, what dog doesn’t love Cheetos?”

The cheese puffs did the trick, as the women were able to coax the scared Chihuahua into eating a few of the snacks, according to KFMB.

San Diego Humane Society officer Susan Blackburn added some wet cat food to the mix and created a trail to the courtyard of the office where Lynch and Brewer worked, KSWB reported. The dog took the bait, nibbling his way into the courtyard, where employees closed a gate behind the animal.

Blackburn used a towel to scoop up the 2-year-old dog, according to the television station.

Dog lured to safety with Cheetos, now named ‘Cheeto,’ soon up for adoption https://t.co/ujLUcIvxWW
— San Diego Humane Society (@sdhumane) January 28, 2022

The dog was treated for fleas and has since been put up for adoption. He is also weaned off Cheetos for now, Blackburn said.

“We’ve been given him hot dogs. He’s going away from Cheetos. He likes other things now,” Blackburn told KFMB. “He really is sweet. He doesn’t want to be fearful. He doesn’t want to be mean, but he definitely needs to trust someone.”

“We have a couple of co-workers who are kind of thinking they might be interested,” Brewer told the television station. “So if one of our co-workers could adopt him, that’d be a great full circle.”