Ansel had been missing overnight when Mesa firefighters found him exhausted and swimming in a canal, unable to climb out on his own.
Firefighters with Engine 2205 responded to the canal on July 14 after receiving a report of a dog in the water, according to the Mesa Fire and Medical Department. No one knew how long Ansel had been swimming. The crew guided him within reach, secured a rope around him, and pulled him safely onto dry land.
Firefighters took Ansel to a veterinarian, but he had no microchip or collar to help identify his family, AZFamily reported. The crew kept looking and found a social media post about a missing German Shorthaired Pointer named Ansel.
The pup had slipped through a gate after a monsoon storm the night before, according to 12News. His collar had broken, and finding him was especially urgent because Ansel has epilepsy and can become disoriented and confused after a seizure. Firefighters contacted his family and brought the dog home.
Lady Freethinker is grateful to the Mesa firefighters for treating Ansel with patience and kindness when they reached him in the water. They pulled him from the canal, made sure he received veterinary attention, and kept searching until they were able to find his family. Their care turned a frightening night into a joyful reunion and brought the canine safely back home.
For another uplifting water rescue, read about Luna, the frightened dog pulled from a deep golf course pond and returned home safely.
