Nearly two weeks after a small dog disappeared over the Fourth of July weekend, a 911 caller saw the pup enter the marsh near East Palo Alto and keep swimming into San Francisco Bay.
The call set off a rescue that unfolded across land, water, and sky. Menlo Park firefighters first spotted the little swimmer through binoculars, then used a drone to find the dog and share GPS coordinates with crews heading into the bay, the fire district reported.
Crews prepared Cooley Landing for the launch as a Redwood City fire boat and a Menlo Park airboat moved into the water. About half a mile from shore, the airboat crew reached the dog and pulled the pup aboard. Back on land, firefighters wrapped the soaked dog in towels while the team checked on their exhausted passenger.
East Palo Alto Police Chief Liu also assisted with the rescue, the fire district said. The dog, later identified as Prieta, was turned over to the local SPCA, which located the family that had been searching since July 4 and brought them back together.
The fire district later shared photos of Prieta safely back in her guardian’s arms during a reunion with the firefighters who rescued her.
For Prieta’s family, the rescue brought nearly two weeks of worry and uncertainty to an end. Her guardian described the wait as “a lot of agony,” not knowing where Prieta had gone. She thanked the entire rescue team for bringing her companion home.
Please join Lady Freethinker in thanking the Menlo Park and Redwood City firefighters who found this little dog in the vast bay, brought the pup aboard, and helped guide the animal home. Their quick thinking, teamwork, and care turned a frightening journey into a joyful reunion.
For another moving reunion made possible by firefighters, read about Ansel, the missing dog rescued from an Arizona canal and brought home to his family.
