When Chevy tried to get a drink from a canal last week he leaned too far and fell in. Neighbors rushed to his aid and Dan Tavanese jumped in the water to save Chevy. On Sunday Chevy’s grateful owner got to thank Dan in person.
Gene Zalek’s dog Chevy escaped from his yard last week. Zalek’s house was being painted and he believes the crew may have left a gate open. Chevy was trying to get a drink from a nearby canal when he fell in. “He lost his footing and fell in,” said Jody Tavanese. “Arms and legs everywhere. He was in the water, so I screamed and I think I scared my husband to death.”
The seawall was too high and Chevy couldn’t get out. Jody tried to call the dog but he was struggling. “He has bad hips, so it was real hard for him to swim,” said Zalek. Jody’s husband Dan stepped in and jumped in the water to help Chevy stay afloat. “I actually grabbed him in the water, picked him up, and we got him onto the dock.”
The whole rescue was very chaotic and at one point Jody wasn’t sure if the dog and her husband were safe. “There was a moment when I couldn’t see my husband, I couldn’t see the dog and the thought crossed my mind. ‘Oh my gosh. Did my husband jump into save a dog and drown?’” said Jody. Other Neighbors rushed to help and lowered a boat into the water. The Fire Department soon arrived as well and helped bring Chevy home.
On Sunday Zalek and Chevy met up with the Tavaneses to thank them. “If they weren’t there to pull him up, he would have drowned real quick,” said Zalek. That Tavaneses were just as happy to see that Chevy was doing well. “It makes me happy,” said Jody. “It’s a great ending and who doesn’t like a great ending?”
