Nature can be a force to be reckoned with, especially the dangers that lurk in Florida waters. While most people probably think of alligators first, it was the mud that proved to be most dangerous for one wayward dog this week.
On Wednesday morning, a local good Samaritan spotted the dog, which appeared to be an elderly golden retriever, in water and mud along a canal. Golden retrievers are notorious for their love of the water, but this one had bitten off a little more than he could chew.
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While he was alive, he wasn’t moving and seemed to be bogged down in that particular spot. So the man, identified later in the comments of the Facebook post, called the Palm Bay Police Department to report his find.
It is perhaps no surprise that a K9 handler showed up in response to the call: Officer Carrol evaluated the situation, and he and others on the scene confirmed that the dog was, indeed, quite stuck.
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“This morning, we received a call from a citizen stating a dog appeared stuck in the mud in a canal off Minton Road,” the Palm Bay Police Department shared on social media.
“Our officers arrived and confirmed the dog was, in fact, stuck and unable to free itself. K9 Officer Carrol sprung into action and was able to rescue the dog! The water was cold, and it appeared the dog had been there for some time, worn out and tired.
“There was no collar or tags, therefore, we asked assistance from Brevard County Sheriff’s Office, Florida (Official) Animal Services. If you know the dog’s owners, please reach out to them.”
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Video shows Carrol wading out to the dog and carefully lifting him out of the mud.
Many commented to thank the officer, not only for rescuing the dog from the immediate danger and exhausting situation, but for getting to him before an alligator could.
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In an update, the police department confirmed that the dog’s owner was located, and the owner herself chimed in on the post to give people an update and thank the officers involved in her dog’s rescue.
“He was missing for about 45 mins — 1 hour,” Rachelle Dugan commented on one of the images. “[H]e was rescued during that time frame so thankfully not long but any amount of time out there expes on this hot day is dangerous. very very thankful for him being rescued!!”
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“This was our dog, he is home safe and I am so so thankful to the officer who found him,” Dugan wrote on the main post. “He is my dads dog (my dad passed in July) he had got out of our back gate about an hour prior to being rescued.
“He is home bathed, and snuggled. THANK YOU AGAIN EVERYONE!!!!”
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.