Dog News

Iguana Gets Boca Raton Pet Trapped in Canal

by Katherine

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A Boca Raton, Fla., dog named Robin, spotted an iguana during her walk with owner Will Betterton, and as any other playful dog, Robin wanted to chase the iguana. Unfortunately, the dog broke from her leash and ended up struggling to stay alive in a canal.

Betterton feared for his dog’s life because Florida canals are usually homes to alligators.

Robin and Will Betterton walking near the canal.
Robin and Will Betterton walking near the canal.

The dog owner tried a recall command but that didn’t work.

“I wasn’t able to call her back,” Betterton told WPBF News. “She kept going from one side of the creek to the other, so it was very difficult for me to bring her back.”

The dog owner called 911 and Officer Bart Galletta helped rescue the pet.

“We saw the dog, and it was struggling to stay afloat,” Galletta said. “At that point, we couldn’t reach the dog. The dog was in the middle of the canal.”

Thanks to a kind neighbor who lent the officer and pet owner a small boat, both men were able to reach Robin and bring her to safety.

At one point the dog went under and Galletta and Betterton feared she was gone. The pet owner jumped in the water, pulled his pet out, and placed her in the safety of the boat.

Thanks to the officer’s assistance, Robin is alive today.

“I wish I could thank him again. I really do,” said Betterton. “What he did was really amazing.”

Robin continues to be interested in iguanas, we hope next time she sees one, she knows not to go chasing after it.