Dog missing after being spooked by July 4 fireworks found weeks later swimming in San Francisco Bay
The dog had swum about half a mile out into the Bay when she was rescued.
A dog that went missing after being spooked by July 4 fireworks has been found weeks later, swimming in San Francisco Bay.
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Menlo Park Fire Protection District in California received a call from someone who had spotted the dog swimming far out in the Bay.
Emergency services used binoculars and a drone to track the dog before using a boat to collect her.
Footage captured by the drone shows the dog, who had swum about half a mile out into the Bay, paddling vigorously while seagulls swooped overhead.
When the rescue boat reaches the dog, one person leans towards the water to scoop her up. After the dog is placed inside the boat, the shivering pooch is wrapped in a firefighter’s coat for the trip back to shore.
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The dog was turned over to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA), which was able to find the owners, who had reported her missing since July 4.
A Facebook post from the SPCA said the dog had been swimming in the bay for over 40 minutes.
The post added: "The dog, later identified as Prieta, arrived at PHS/SPCA exhausted, scared, and with facial injuries from the ordeal.
"Our veterinary team examined her, treated her wounds, and got her settled with food and water.
"Thanks to her microchip, we were able to track down her family, who had been searching for her since she went missing nearly two weeks earlier on the Fourth of July.
"A little over an hour after arriving at our shelter, Prieta was back in her owner's arms."
It is not known how far the dog travelled from the family's home before ending up in the Bay.
Menlo Park Fire Protection District wrote on Facebook: "Thank you to everyone who helped reunite this furry friend with its family!"
A woman claiming to be the dog's owner shared her thanks for the team involved in the rescue on Facebook.
“I want to thank the entire rescue team from the bottom of my heart. These last 2 weeks were a lot of agony not knowing about my dog,” she said.
“I was very, very depressed not knowing where she was and was even losing hope,” the woman continued.
“My heart started beating so hard when I received the call from the SPCA team. I would never be able to thank you enough for her rescue and for bringing her back to her home. Forever grateful."