Officers made a surprising discovery Friday when they stopped a stolen U-Haul only to find a puppy in the driver's seat.Facebook / Albuquerque Police Department

Officers in Albuquerque responded to a license plate reader alert for a stolen vehicle on Friday and discovered an unexpected surprise: a small puppy hidden inside.

The stolen U-Haul had last been spotted traveling northbound on Rio Grande Boulevard.

Upon locating the vehicle and attempting a routine traffic stop, the driver fled, prompting officers to deploy spike strips.

The truck eventually came to a stop, and driver, Ralph Sanchez, 51, was arrested.

As officers began to inspect the U-Haul, they found the puppy nestled in the driver's seat.

After safely rescuing the animal, the officers were captured on video remarking, "This is why we signed up, guys, right here."