Richmond bystanders pitch in to rescue German Shepherd puppy
Posted June 7, 2021 6:18 pm.
Last Updated June 7, 2021 9:50 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
RICHMOND (NEWS 1130) – A German Shepherd puppy was rescued from the Fraser River in Richmond last week thanks to a couple of Good Samaritans who lent their boat to the effort.
According to four-month-old Vader’s owner, Jay, the dog was at the park with a dog trainer when he got spooked by two other dogs and took off.
Jay and his family were called by the trainer, who informed them she could not find the puppy, prompting them to rush down to the park.
“It was a very silent ride to McDonald Beach for us. You’re trying not to think of the worst but that was the first thing that comes to mind especially when we got there and there are police cars there,” he says. “And people are standing around, it just looked like something bad had happened.”
When witnesses saw the animal “in distress as it tried to swim against the river current,” they flagged down a Richmond RCMP officer who was on foot patrol.
“Const. Geneblaza and other bystanders were able to flag down a boat nearby. Operator Mitch Misyk and his passenger Chantal McDonald quickly rescued the dog and returned the tired animal to dry land,” says Cpl. Adriana O’Malley with Richmond RCMP.
Jay says the reunion was a huge relief, adding he and his family had not realized the full extent of what happened until they saw Vader get out of the RCMP cruiser, and heard from Mitch, who helped bring the pup to safety.
“It’s the biggest relief I’ve felt in a long time, when we saw him coming out of the police car I just said thank God. Especially after hearing how everything,” he says. “When I talked to Mitch, about his condition when he got to him he said ‘your little guy was on his last legs, he was struggling when I got to him’. Just thank God. Thank God he was there, and we are just really thankful for the police, thankful to Mitch and the gentleman who called 911. I mean, if it wasn’t for them he wouldn’t be here today.”
Jay says he’s been in contact with Mitch over the last few days and is meeting him this weekend to offer his thanks in person.
With files from Jonathan Szekeres
