A California lifeguard rescued a daring pooch that went for an ill advised swim in the Pacific Ocean.
Long Beach Lifeguards were alerted to a “small white lap dog” running loose on at the popular Junipero Beach lot on Sunday at 6:00 p.m., during peak surfing hours.
When they arrived on scene, a toy sized dog had swam out into the sea and miraculously made it past the treacherous waves and out to the swim line.
A mustachioed Long Beach lifeguard paddled out on a rescue board and scooped the terrified pooch, who he held onto with one hand, while paddling back to shore with the other.
The Long Beach Fire Department posted the video to Facebook on Sunday night, in hopes of identifying the dog’s owner, but ultimately released the pup to the area’s Animal Control.
In a follow-up post on Tuesday, the LBFD shared the cheerful news that the pup, who is named Tofu, had been reunited with his family.
In less happy dog news, the Dowdy Ferry Animal Commission (DFAC) saved a grief-stricken German shepherd puppy who was abandoned on the side of a road in Dallas, Texas, by his owner.
The particular road is reportedly so notorious for being a spot bad animal owners dump their unwanted pets, that the DFAC has set up hidden cameras to watch for when it happens.
In a heartbreaking video, a man in a white Chevrolet SUV pulled over on the side of the road, opened his trunk hatch, and shoved the dog out onto the gravel last week.
He hopped back in and tore off, as the bewildered shepherd chased after the SUV, until he was almost hit by an oncoming car.
“That was an intentional dump and he did not want to be caught. And he did not want that dog and he made that clear,” said the DFAC’s Jeremy Boss.
“It makes me sick to my stomach when I see people that will take the time to take their dog, drive out here, and throw it out like trash like Dowdy Ferry is known for.”
Area neighbors witnessed the crime, which is considered a Class A misdemeanor, and cared for the pup, who injured his leg during the incident, until Dallas Animal Services arrived.
“My husband Wraith and I saw that video and were throwing on our clothes while the guy was dumping the dog,” remarked area resident Meagan Probus.
“We got there three minutes after he was gone, and Kema already had him on a leash.”
Probus and neighbor Kema Condor are DFAC members who routinely surveil footage from the group’s hidden cameras.
They have both rescued dozens of dogs who have been abandoned on the strip of road.
When People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) heard about the German shepherd puppy, they offered a $5,000 reward to anyone with information about the owner.
“Our dogs rely on us to protect them, but instead, this man dumped this dog on the side of the road, leaving him to chase after the car—and likely the only family he’s ever known,” PETA said in a press release.
“This is an egregious betrayal of a dog’s trust, and PETA urges anyone who recognizes this dog or the man who abandoned him to come forward immediately.”
Their efforts clearly worked, as three days later, Ramiro Zuniga, 41 was arrested and charged with Cruelty to Non-Livestock Animals, for abandoning his dog.
