Quick action by Animal Services officers saves stranded dog | Community Spirit

St. Petersburg, Florida -- Thanks to the quick action of two Pinellas County Animal Services officers, a stranded dog is now safely back home with his owners.

On the morning of Aug. 20, a concerned citizen called Animal Services to report a pit bull mix-type dog stranded on a drainage pipe in a St. Petersburg canal. The responding Animal Services officers, Trish Cartier and Deborah Riehle, located the exhausted canine below a steep embankment. The two officers managed to coax the dog close enough to use a catch-pole to humanely bring him to safety.

Officers transported the dog to the Animal Services office in Largo where an examining veterinarian found him to have no major injuries.

During the examination, staff discovered that the rescued dog had a microchip. Animal Services immediately contacted the owners and they arrived the next day to recover their lost pet.

“Having a microchip makes it easier to locate a lost pet’s owners,” said Cartier. “Collars with tags can be lost, especially in the situation this dog found himself in.”

Linda Britland, Animal Services field manager, commented, “Our officers are truly the unsung heroes of our community, often risking their own safety to reunite people with their loving pets.”

Thanks to the teamwork at Animal Services and a microchip, this story had a wagging tail and a happy ending.

Pinellas County Animal Services is located at 12450 Ulmerton Road in Largo. Normal hours of operation are Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the adoption center closing at 4:30 p.m. The adoption center is also open the first and third Saturday of the month from 9 a.m. to noon. To reclaim a lost pet, visit the shelter between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 9 a.m. to noon. The facility is closed Sunday and holidays.

For news on how to adopt, donate or volunteer, join Pinellas County Animal Services on Facebook. To learn more about the shelter, visit www.pinellascounty.org/animalservices or call (727) 582-2600. The lost or found pets hotline is (727) 582-2604.