Firefighters are always there to rescue an animal in need, even if those animals don’t make it easy for them. Recently, one fire crew set out to rescue a small dog from the water, even as the scared little dog resisted their help.
On Friday, staff at the Houston Botanic Garden were alerted of a Chihuahua seen hanging from the footings of a pedestrian bridge, trapped and surrounded by water from the Sims Bayou channel, according to a Facebook post.
They contacted the Houston Fire Department, and firefighters from Stations 29 and 42 arrived on the scene to save the day. One firefighter jumped into the water in order to reach the pup — but his efforts were not appreciated. The Chihuahua, scared and resistant to help, nipped at the firefighter and defiantly dove into the bayou, according to KHOU 11.
Undeterred, the firefighter dove into the water after her, and after a chase finally grabbed the dog and got him to dry land. The Chihuahua remained defiant and continued barking at her rescuers, but they were still for a successful mission and wrapped the dog in a towel.
“We love knowing that everyone and everything in and around the Garden is in good hands with these trained community helpers on the job,” Houston Botanic Garden wrote on Facebook.
It’s unclear how the dog ended up in that unusual spot, and at the time no one knew where the Chihuahua came from or who her owners were. A vet tech and animal rescuer who happened to be on the scene took him in for the night.
“She started standing up and barking, like yapping, more yap than bark, really, it was kind of cute,” Judy Hausler told KHOU. “It just worked out that I was there, and I said, ‘I’m going to take the dog, and I’ll find it a home.'”
A day later, the dog’s family came forward and reunited with their pet. It turned out that the Chihuahua, named Burbie, had been missing since Monday; she was not microchipped and didn’t have a collar on. The family was grateful for everyone who saved their little dog.
“We are very grateful for the efforts of the first responders and of everyone involved to help us bring our baby home. I don’t think that there’s anything that we could possibly do to repay the efforts of those involved, but I will say that I am very grateful,” one of the owners told KHOU, saying that Burbie was doing fine.
We’re so glad Burbie is back home safe and sound! Please share this heartwarming rescue story to show appreciation for our amazing first responders and to inspire others to lend a helping hand to animals in need. ❤️
