Mesa firefighters rescued epileptic dog Ansel from a canal on Tuesday after he fell in and could not get out. The German Shorthaired Pointer was later reunited with his owners after Engine 2205 crews pulled him to safety in Mesa.
Engine 2205 in Mesa
Firefighters with Engine 2205 went to the canal after the dog was reported swimming and exhausted. Crews corralled him, put a rope around him and pulled him out. The rescue ended with a veterinary check before the search for his family moved forward.
Ansel and his family
Firefighters then found a missing-dog post on social media for Ansel, who had run away after the storm Monday night by escaping through a gate. His collar was broken, and he was not chipped, which made identifying him difficult after the rescue.
Ansel’s epilepsy added another risk because he can get disoriented and confused after a seizure. That made the canal more dangerous for him than it would have been for a dog that could recover its footing and make its way out on its own.
Mesa firefighters reunited Ansel with his owners after the identification was made. For a family trying to track down a missing pet after a storm, the key step was the match between the social media post and the dog brought out of the canal.
