Incident at McDonald Beach Park "serves as a reminder" to owners now that beach season is underway.
A young German Shepherd puppy was saved from drowning in a Richmond river last week thanks to the quick action taken by police and boaters.
On June 2, visitors at McDonald Beach Park in Richmond observed the young dog struggling to stay afloat in the Fraser River at approximately 1:30pm.
According to the Richmond RCMP, the pup appeared to be in distress as it attempted to swim against the river current at the popular dog park, leading witnesses to alert a front-line officer on foot-patrol at the time.
Constable Niko Geneblaza and other bystanders were able to flag down a boat nearby, with boat operator Mitch Misyk and his passenger Chantal McDonald quickly taking action to rescue the struggling pup.
The two returned the tired pet to dry land where, despite visibly shaken, it was happily reunited with its owner who had not realized the dog had entered the water, according to the news release.
McDonald Beach Park is a very popular spot for local dog owners, with a scenic stretch of dog-friendly beach on the banks of Fraser River that runs for several kilometres and expands at low tide.
An important reminder to dog owners
Although there was a happy ending for this particular puppy, the outcome could have been a lot worse, with this incident serving as an important reminder to local dog owners of the dangers near water at the time of year.
"Everyone was delighted with the outcome of this one, but this incident serves as a reminder." says Corporal Ian Henderson of the Richmond RCMP.
"With boating and beach season now underway, we need to remember that it only takes a moment for accidents to happen in, on and near the water," adds Henderson.