TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Firefighters staged a dramatic rescue Monday of a canine that got himself stuck in a Tampa pond.
According to Hillsborough County Fire Rescue officials, a child was walking to school near Lucy Dell Park in Tampa when they noticed a dog trapped on some floating vegetation.
Authorities said the child called animal control to help retrieve the dog.
Realizing they could not safely catch the dog, animal control asked HCFR for help. Several crews responded and set up a rope system to lower a lone rescuer, FireMedic 1 Gilbert Navas, into the water.
Navas then made his way to the stranded dog, lassoed him, and carried the dog back to the boardwalk, where crews from Animal Control safely lifted the canine using a large net.
HCFR crews then lifted Navas back up to the boardwalk.
Since the dog was not microchipped, he was taken to the Pet Resource Center on Falkenburg Road.
If the dog’s owner does not come forward, the pet center will adopt him out, and register him with the name “Gil” after his rescuer.