GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- A Grand Rapids firefighter rescued a 13-year-old dog from the Grand River on Friday morning.
Sydney, a Boston Terrier bulldog, fell into the river around 8:30 a.m. while walking with her owner along the river's bank. That was in Canal Park, near Monroe Avenue and Mason Street.
Grand Rapids dispatch was notified and the fire department's Water Rescue team was sent to the scene, according to Battalion Chief Richard Clark.
"When we arrived, the woman was there. She was wet; she had already gone in (to the water) to try to rescue the dog. And the dog was hard of hearing and partially blind with some cataracts, and was unable to see, going farther out into the water and closer to the dam," Clark said.
Firefigher Thomas Kunak swam about 75 yards out in the river. Meanwhile, Clark was busy himself:
"I had a flotation device that I threw to the dog. The dog didn't see it or avoided it. Kunak was there shortly afterward on one of the rescue companies. And he went in there and made the rescue. And we then had other firefighters arriving on the scene, that were able to secure the firefighter and the dog with a ladder and a rope."
Both the dog and her owner are doing well.
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