Missing Elderly Dog Stuck in a Ditch 'Almost Frozen to Death' Until Deputy Spots Her
When the Sagadahoc County Sheriff’s Office got a call about a dog on the road early Saturday morning in Arrowsic, Maine, a deputy wasted no time heading out to check on the situation.
Dogs wandering in traffic can be a hazard to themselves and others, and oftentimes warrant more immediate intervention than animal control can provide — and in this case, it was a good thing that Deputy Mark Anderson arrived when he did, or the dog in question likely would have died.
The sheriff’s office shared the resulting story on Facebook.
“Today at 5:37 AM the Sagadahoc County Communications Center received a report of a dog laying in the road,” the post began.
“Deputy Mark Anderson responded to the area to investigate. At first, not able to locate the dog, he began searching the area. After checking nearby ditches, he located a very cold, female dog, appearing almost frozen to death.”
Anderson could see that the dog had been trying to get out of the ditch, as there were claw marks all along the inside of it. By the time he found her, she was holding up her paw and crying, clearly trapped.
“As temperatures were in the single digits this morning Deputy Anderson picked her up, placed her in his cruiser, and brought her into dispatch center in Bath,” the post continued.
The dog was met with blankets, a heater and a plate of food — which she polished off once she’d gotten her old bones warmed up.
Anderson then worked on locating her family, printing flyers and going door to door to find her owner.
He found the owner — an elderly woman who had let the dog out around 9:00 p.m. the previous evening, and then stayed up all night worried when the dog didn’t come back. Anderson also found out the dog is at least 14 years old.
Thankfully, the woman didn’t venture out on her own to attempt to locate her dog, and the locals were observant enough to spot the runaway and call it in. Dog and owner were reunited, and their story was shared.
“A huge shout out to Communications Specialist Shaun and Dori, as well as Deputy Anderson, for providing extraordinary care for this animal,” the post concluded. “The efforts of these three Sagadahoc County employees, without a doubt, saved the life of this precious pet.”
Many people commented to thank Anderson for saving the dog, and others chimed in with suggestions to help avoid a repeat misadventure.
Some suggested a light-up collar or a tether in the yard, and still others asked if there was anyone nearby who could help the lady with her dog.
Hopefully, this close call will tug at some good Samaritan’s heartstrings so that a solution can be found.
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