Dog News

Watch Mesa Police Officer Rescue Sparky From A Canal

by Amy Drew

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It began, as these things often do, as a regular walk.

John, a resident of Mesa, AZ, was on a walk with dog, Sparky, when some ducks diverted her attention, inspiring a spontaneous leap into a nearby canal. John rushed to the water, but in a panic, lost sight of Sparky as he drifted downstream, swimming aimlessly, but unable to get out.

“John is a Vietnam War Veteran, suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD),” the Mesa Police posted on their Facebook page. “Although John adopted Sparky over a decade prior after his original owners passed away from cancer, as John puts it, it was actually Sparky ‘who took me in.’ John explained, ‘Sparky is my guy. He’s my mental health. If I had sight of him in that canal, it would have been *both* of us in there.'”

Thankfully, Brian Yeager, a nearby runner, spotted the dog not long after the leap. He spent about a half hour trying to make the rescue, then called in Mesa Police to help. Officer Goodrich — from the opposite side of the pond — was able to pull Sparky out with a catch pole.

Another concerned officer took the dog to a nearby animal hospital where Sparky was microchipped and, not long after, reunited with John.

“Today, Sparky is resting, recuperating from his intense struggle,” the post continued. “When asked how it feels to have a second chance with Sparky, John advised, ‘I can’t thank everyone enough. It’s all wonderful. It’s a miracle.’”