Florida dog found with mouth taped shut adopted by sheriff's office, "deputized"

(FOX NEWS) -- A dog found wandering Southwest Florida with its snout taped shut last month has been given a second chance after the sheriff's office that rescued the abused canine adopted--and "deputized"--the pup.

The Lee County Sheriff's Office said they "deputized" the male Florida cur, now named Chance, whom they rescued after residents reported the canine was roaming through backyards in Lehigh Acres, located about 16 miles east of Fort Myers, with red electrical tape wound around his muzzle.

"Having been deputized last Thursday, eager to get his paws dirty, Deputy Chance sprang into action this weekend," the sheriff's office wrote Tuesday on Facebook.

The sheriff's office said Chance was recovering nicely and was "bursting with energy" about one week after finding the dog dehydrated, malnourished and bleeding from wounds on his left arm and chest.

Once Chance recovers, he will serve the department as a "Pets on Patrol Spokes-Dog" and will even have his own "office" near the desk of Sheriff Carmine Marceno, who adopted him, per FOX 13 Tampa.

According to the sheriff's office, when Deputy Chance was asked to describe his first day on duty, the pup simply stated, "ruff."

Police are still searching for the suspect responsible for abusing Chance.