When people jump into fast-moving water to save dogs, it puts them in danger too. However, in the moment, you don’t have time to think. So, dog lovers often jump in after their struggling canines because they love them so much.
There are many stories of humans and their dogs being rescued from the water as quickly as possible. But a woman and her dog in Arizona didn’t have that luxury. When the woman jumped into a canal after her dog, no one else was there to call for help. So, the duo struggled in the fast-moving water for 18 hours before help arrived.
Struggling for 18 Hours
The woman had been working in the area with her dog. She let her canine companion run loose because she had no idea there was water nearby. Then, she witnessed her furry friend fall into the canal and struggle to get out. The water was moving fast, and the edges of the canal were too steep to climb out of.
So, the woman tried to bring her 55-pound dog to safety but ended up getting trapped in the canal too. The current was too strong and fast for the woman and dog, and no one was around to call for help. The two victims eventually grabbed hold of a tree in the water.
The duo fell into the water just before 7 pm and went unnoticed until the next morning. A train conductor passed the canal and spotted the woman and dog struggling, so they dialed 911. Several trains had gone by before that one, but that conductor was the first to notice the individuals in danger.
The Yuma County Sheriff’s Office responded to the call. The woman was close to giving up, but once she heard the sirens coming toward her, she kept fighting for her life. The officers helped the dog onto the shore and then got creative to find ways to pull the woman up.
Finally Safe!
Bodycam footage from the officers showed the woman’s rescue. The first strap they threw out to the woman broke, but they had a backup plan. They used a long dog leash to toss around the woman’s body like a lasso. Then, they pulled her to the shore as she gasped from exhaustion.
“Her body told the story of her constant fight. She had abrasions to her arms and legs. She had a sunburn. She looked exhausted to the point she couldn’t stand on her two feet,” said Sgt. Juan Salcido.
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Thankfully, the woman and dog didn’t seem to have any life-threatening injuries, but they were both pretty scraped up and exhausted. So, they’re now resting and recovering.
The woman’s brother, Ken Anderson, made a comment sharing how grateful he is for everyone involved. He said many heroes played a role in saving his sister and her dog, and they might not have survived otherwise.
“The Train Conductor who reported this had no idea how this all played out after he radioed it into his dispatch and they in turn called 911. He had no idea she just spent 18 hours overnight in that canal,” Anderson wrote. “To Sergeant Salcido, Deputy Rice, Officer Meza, EA Williams, and all of the unsung HEROES who were involved in this rescue, THANK YOU so very much for saving my sister’s life!!!”
Watch the Shocking Rescue Here:
Featured Image: YouTube and Facebook
Toledo, United States.
