Riverside County animal services officer rescues two dogs from Gage Canal

A Riverside County animal control officer rescues two dogs this morning that were stuck in the Gage Canal.

Around 7 A.M., Riverside County Animal Services received a call from a woman, Carolyn Badger, that was walking her dog with her husband when they noticed two dogs trapped in the canal.

"All of a sudden we saw two big, black heads pop up, and they started barking," said Badger. "There were some ducks keeping them company, too."

An officer responded to the call and located the dogs, both Rottweilers, in the Gage Canal near Jackson Street, just south of the California Citrus State Historic Park in Riverside. The canal dates to the mid-1880s and has been vital for irrigating the region's citrus groves.

Officer Mike Cox, with assistance from Sgt. Jason Sanders and Officer Ramon Rodriguez, rescued the dogs within 30 minutes of the call. An employee of the City of Riverside also assisted by unlocking a security gate where one of the dogs was stuck. The female Rottweiler had swam under the fence toward the officers, but the male had stayed on the other side.

“I’m assuming fireworks played a factor in how they ended up in the canal,” Cox said. “Dogs running scared is very common at this time of year. They might have run into the canal or were dehydrated and tried to get water from the canal and took the plunge.”

Although the canal is not deep, its walls are slimy, making it difficult for dogs to climb out.

Unfortunately both of the Rottweilers were not wearing a collar and were not microchipped. Officer Cox used a microchip scanner in the field, but the scan was unsuccessful.

“We cannot emphasize enough how important it is to have dog tags and microchips for your pets,” Animal Services Director Erin Gettis said. “This is critical for faster reunions in the field. I feel so bad that these dogs ended up in the canal, but so happy they were spotted and rescued."

The dogs were transported to the Western Riverside County/City Animal Shelter in Jurupa Valley. Animal Services is waiving impound fees for owners who come to redeem their pets on July 5 and July 6.

Cox said the dogs are very fortunate the water level was low and a good Samaritan spotted the pair early in the morning. He noted that the dogs are "in good shape - just tired and very wet."

“Thank goodness they were saved so quickly,” Carolyn Badger said. “There were so many illegal fireworks last night. I feel terrible for all the frightened dogs out there.”

Animal Shelters throughout the nation see a large intake of runaway pets on and around the Fourth of July due to how startling the fireworks can be to animals. View our previous coverage for tips on how to keep your pets safe for this Fourth of July.

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