March 7 (UPI) — Firefighters and animal control officers teamed up in Florida to rescue a runaway dog found stranded on the edge of a river with his leash and collar entangled in a tree.
Sumter County Fire & EMS said on social media that personnel responded alongside Sumter County Animal Services when multiple calls came in from concerned boaters who spotted a dog “tangled in a tree, trapped by its collar and leash, unable to free itself from the water’s edge.”
Rescuers determined they could not reach the dog, later identified as Blackie, from the shore, so a plan was made to reach the canine by boat.
“The team carefully freed him from the entangled leash, secured him safely, and transported him back to the staging area,” the post said.
Blackie, who was “miraculously unharmed despite being missing for about a week,” was scanned for a microchip, which allowed rescuers to identify his owner and facilitate a happy reunion.
