Everybody likes to take selfies. Andre Cloyd, a police officer from Dallas is no exception. Andre could not have imagined that his photo session during a patrol at the airport would go viral on social media.
It sounds like nothing special, right? You will certainly change your mind after you find out that Andre was taking selfies with his dog!
“We weren’t doing anything special”
Andre and his dog, Zigi, were on patrol at the local airport and didn’t expect to become famous overnight but it’s exactly what happened! A traveler noticed a police officer posing for selfies with a dog and took a photo which she shared in a Facebook post.
“I just watched the cop at the airport take a series of selfies with his dog and then stop to show him each one. I stand corrected, that sweet boi was his partner, not just a dog,” Gina Anzaldua wrote.
Andre said they weren’t doing anything special and was surprised by the attention he and Zigi attracted.
“They captured what’s just everyday life for us. We weren’t doing anything special,” he said.
A photogenic dog becomes an instant social media celebrity
The local media was intrigued by this story and decided to visit Andre and Zigi at Dallas Love Field Airport to investigate the story further. Andre told them it started as a text message thread with his family.
When Andre stopped to pose for a selfie with his faithful companion, he couldn’t suspect that a traveler was taking photos of them.
“It was kind of cool that she shared it, and it was able to come full circle back to me,” he said. “It was pretty cool to be part of something that big.”
Andre and Zigi are the best of friends and they are together 24/7
Being separated from his family, Andre spends a lot of time with Zigi and his other dog, Bentley, both of whom he considers as his kids!
“I tell people, ‘Hey, these are my pets, these are my dogs, these are my two kids.’
Andre and his dogs hang out together 24/7. In addition to taking selfies with them, Andre also watches movies and goes to the gym with his canine companions. He describes himself as an animal lover and considers it a privilege to be a part of the Dallas Police Department’s K9 Unit.
“To get paid to do something you’ve loved since the age of four, it’s a privilege, definitely,” he proudly said.
“We’re just a small piece of a unit”
Andre doesn’t enjoy the spotlight, however. He says that his and Zigi’s biggest concern is the safety of the passengers. He is happy that the Facebook post about him and Zigi has attracted so much attention. For Andre, it is an opportunity to show the public the positive side of law enforcement.
“It’s no secret that when something negative happens in law enforcement, or any profession, how it will snowball and just take off,” he acknowledged. “To be a part of something positive and for it to be just as big and just kind of take off as fast is a privilege and an honor.”
Andre and Zigi are a true inspiration for everyone. With the two of them around, we already feel a lot safer!
