A stray dog found itself in a “tough spot” when it became trapped in a walled Florida canal, atop the spillway, the Martin County Sheriff’s Office says. Martin County Sheriff’s Office photo
Stray dogs are notorious for getting into predicaments but rescuers still aren’t sure how one canine got trapped atop a spillway in a walled Florida canal. It happened Tuesday, Oct. 24, in Port Mayaca, a sparsely populated area east of Lake Okeechobee known for hosting the Port Mayaca lock and dam. “The dog somehow ended up on a spillway with a 12-foot drop around the rim canal with no way to safely escape,” the Martin County Sheriff’s Office reports. “After a citizen called us about the trapped animal, the officers went to work.” Wendy Diaz told station WPBF she found the dog “in the middle of nowhere” and large alligators were seen swimming below the spillway.
Luckily, water levels were low at the time, photos show. Had a storm crossed the area, the dog could have been swept away over the spillway by the deluge. A trio of local and state officers reached the dog by hauling in ladders so they could climb between the concrete walls. Photos show the dog was initially wary, but eventually surrendered to the idea of being cornered.
“It took some time and maneuvering but they didn’t give up,” the sheriff’s office said. “Tonight the dog is in good shape and in great hands at the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast.” Sarah Fisher, communications manager for the Humane Society of the Treasure Coast, says the “bully breed” dog appears to be in good health, but the staff has not found a microchip or tags. “She’s on a stray hold for five days and we are trying to find the potential owner. She looks young but we won’t know for sure until we check her teeth,” Fisher told McClatchy News in an email. “She’s eating well but is very scared still. She’s a friendly dog and wants attention but then gets extremely scared when we approach her.”
