If you wondered why 495 was shut down earlier today, it was because a dog was running loose in the travel lanes.

Massachusetts State Police rescued a large German Shepard that was literally in the travel lanes on the southbound side of Route 495 in Methuen today.

The dog was spotted walking in and out of traffic in all three lanes.

Troopers Malachy Higgins and Dana Atkinson were the first to respond and they tried to lure the dog to an off ramp for its safety.

The pup had other plans however and headed right back into traffic causing state police along with Methuen Police and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation to close all the lanes of traffic,

The dog was then lured with a granola bar into the front seat of a cruiser where it happily sat behind the wheel.

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Photo courtesy of Methuen and Lawrence Police
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Trooper Higgins then drove her off the highway and turned her over to Lawrence Animal Control.

She was eventually reunited with her owners.

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