Thank to the actions of a sheriff’s deputy, an elderly dog nearly died in a ditch. According to a Facebook post from the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office, a dog in need of help was called to the department on Saturday. An elderly female dog appeared to be “almost dead” when deputy Mark Anderson arrived on scene in Arrowsic.
The poor 14-year-old dog had clearly been trying to escape, but was trapped in the freezing ditch in single-digit weather. “There were claw marks where she had attempted to climb out of the ditch before her paw got too cold,” the sheriff’s office wrote. In his police cruiser, Deputy Anderson picked the dog up and drove her to a nearby dispatch center while she whimpered heavily.
A dispatcher warmed up the dog with blankets and used a portable heater to keep her warm. He also gave her food and said the hungry dog ate her plate clean after she stopped shivering. As Anderson knocked on doors in the area, he distributed flyers about the lost dog, hoping to locate its owner. Luckily, the owner was soon located: The dog had escaped the previous night at about 9 pm. The dog’s owner, described as an elderly female, reportedly stayed up all night waiting for the dog to return. The two were soon reunited.
A statement posted on Facebook from Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office commended the actions of Deputy Anderson, Communications Specialists Shaun and Dori. “The efforts of these three Sagadahoc County employees, without a doubt, saved the life of this precious pet,” the statement read. The story went viral on social media and many people have praised the employees for their life-saving actions.
Thank you to everyone who helped save this sweet dog from spending the night in a freezing ditch! It’s heartbreaking to think that such a sweet dog spent the night in a cold ditch without getting warm. But now that she’s warm, safe and back with her owner, our hearts are filled with joy.
