It was a sad sight when onlookers saw a senior dog stranded in a canal. People saw the poor dog lying atop a shopping cart covered in some sort of algae, just trying her best to stay afloat. Dispatchers were alerted immediately, but the chance of survival for this poor pup looked slim. However, this dog remained strong and beat all the odds stacked against her. She has quite the survival story.
Dog Stranded In Canal Beat All Odds Stacked Against Her
Meet Dorothea, a 10-year-old Chihuahua mix who amazed the world with her will to survive. This adorable pup somehow ended up in the middle of an Arizona canal, with nothing but an old shopping cart keeping her out of the water. As soon as onlookers saw this dog suffering, they alerted local dispatchers.
Quickly after the Arizona Humane Society and the Phoenix Fire Department both arrived on the scene. PEOPLE Magazine shares that both parties understood that "time was of the essence." They had no idea how long this dog had been stranded in the canal, and every minute out there was another minute against her odds of survival.
AHS told PEOPLE, "Using a ladder and various AHS rescue devices to get her up safely" both AHS and the fire rescue team were able to get Dorothea ashore safely. She was "all tail wags" as soon as she set foot on the shore. It was like she knew these people were here to help her.
Dorothea's Clean Bill Of Health
Screenshot from Arizona Humane Society Facebook
The senior dog was able to beat the odds stacked against her after being stranded in a canal. However that did not mean she came out entirely unharmed. While AHS admits that she was "in great health given the circumstances" she did suffer some minor injuries. She was found to be "dehydrated, hungry, covered in ticks, and a bit stinky from the canal water." Additionally she had a "couple of fractured teeth" which needed to be removed.
All in all, this senior dog did incredibly well. Especially given the circumstances she was stuck in. AHS treated her to a well-deserved spa day before finding her her forever home. This dog who beat all the odds is just another incredible rescue story from the Arizona Humane Society. I am so thankful for incredible organizations like them and for Good Samaritans who not only helped save this dog stranded in a canal, but animals that are suffering every day.
