MESA, Ariz. (WSVN) — Cell phone footage captured a police officer rescuing a dog struggling to swim in an Arizona canal.
The dog, named Sparky, had apparently chased some ducks into the canal and fell in.
His owner, John, is a Vietnam War veteran, and said Sparky helps him with his post-traumatic stress disorder. He watched helplessly as his best friend floated away.
“I can’t imagine what the days would have been without him,” he said.
The dog had been treading water for about 30 minutes before a quick-thinking officer spotted Sparky and jumped into action.
“I knew I had a snare in my truck and that canal is very slippery,” said Mesa Police Officer Robert Goodrich. “It could be deceiving, but I had to pretty much straddle it so I didn’t fall in myself.”
John said when he heard about the rescue, he knew he had to meet the officer to thank him for saving Sparky.
“We’re both veterans, have a lot of respect for each other,” John said. “I think that he has a love of dogs like me. He understands how much this guy means to me, he has some of his own. I want to say thanks, and I think he knows how much I appreciate him.”
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