Florida police officer takes homeless man's dog to vet, pays for bill

Officer Wester paid for Karma's vet bill. (Tampa Police Department/Vets4Pets)

A Florida police officer was praised earlier this month for helping a homeless man who needed to take his dog to the vet.

Officer Bart Wester with the Tampa Police Department noticed the homeless man, who has not been identified, asking for money from passersby because his dog, Karma, required veterinary attention.

But instead of arresting the man, Wester decided to take Karma and the dog’s owner to Vets4Pets, a charitable veterinary hospital in Tampa.

Not only did Wester drive the pair to the facility, but he also paid for the dog’s veterinary bill, according to Vets4Pets.

"Thank you Officer Wester. We think you are the best!” the veterinary hospital wrote on Facebook, adding that Wester, who has served with the Tampa Police Department for 10 years, “does special things like this all the time.”

“Officer Wester appreciates all the kind words and takes great pride in protecting and serving all our residents - including the four-legged ones,” the police department wrote on Facebook.

Eddy Durkin, the PIO for the Tampa Police Department, was not immediately available for additional comment when contacted by Fox News on Thursday.