Plenty of us love a good murder mystery.
Obviously, it's only good when the murder is fictional, but a great detective novel or TV show is one of my favorite ways to pass the time.
With the popularity of books by authors like Agatha Christie and Louise Penny, I'm willing to bet that others do, too.
Even though there's high competition, I'm pretty sure I just discovered my favorite crime mystery — and it's coming straight out of an animal shelter in Wisconsin.
The Fox Valley Humane Association in Appleton have arguably the greatest mystery story of all time… and it all started with a sweet rescue pup named Hank and a fuzzy purple hippo.
The story seems pretty straightforward at the beginning — but the ending is a total twist.
Keep scrolling to learn about the cute mystery, and let us know what you think. Is Hank guilty? Or is this all a big misunderstanding?
[H/T: Mashable]
Meet Hank, the chocolate Lab. Hank is 4 years old. When this whole thing started, he lived at the Fox Valley Humane Association with his best friend, Fuzzy Purple Hippo. Fox Valley posted on Instagram that Hank and Fuzzy Purple Hippo were a bonded pair — if you want to take one home, the other had to come, too.
But everything changed when Fuzzy Purple Hippo was found nearly decapitated. Afterward, she was rushed into stuffed-animal surgery. Fox Valley said on Instagram that details surrounding the situation were "murky," and that Hank refused to answer any questions.
Luckily, Fuzzy Purple Hippo survived the scary incident! She had to wear a cone of shame, but at least she began recovery.
Fuzzy Purple Hippo is OK, but Fox Valley still needed to know how she got so hurt. They invited Hank in for questioning regarding the incident, but he was tight-lipped.
Meanwhile, Fox Valley made sure Fuzzy Purple Hippo saw a therapist while recovering from her scary injuries.
Hank also met with a "Humane officer-appointed attorney" to protect his rights. The Humane Society did not file any charges against the pup, but they also did not have any other suspects. This was a scary moment for everyone — but things were about to change.
A therapy dog in training, K9 Blue, came in with the police to inspect the scene of the injuries. At this point, Fox Valley announced that they had reached a break in the case, and would announce findings the next morning.
So what did the police find? Late at night, after everyone had left, Hank and Fuzzy Purple Hippo tried to sneak out, steal some treats, and stargaze in the backyard. Fuzzy Purple Hippo was injured trying to climb over a fence and Hank had to pull her to safety! He took care of her all night until staff came in the next morning. Hank was exonerated of all charges and allowed to reunite with his best friend!
And the story has an even happier ending! Hank and Fuzzy Purple Hippo were adopted together! The two pals are heading home with a loving, new family now that everything has been cleared up.
I'm so glad it worked out for Hank and Fuzzy Purple Hippo. Hopefully, they'll have a great life together in their new home. Please SHARE this story on Facebook if it made you smile!
