A few days ago, on a gloomy and chilly day in Long Beach, California, lifeguards with the Long Beach Fire Department Marine Safety Division pulled up their binoculars and noticed something strange: a little person was battling against the frigid waves.
A kind Samaritan had called the lifeguards earlier to let them know about a tiny puppy that was running wild. The dog had been seen running across a parking lot before dashing over the beach and into the water. The dog was hard at work, anxiously attempting to keep her head above water, and the lifeguards were able to see her well through the binoculars despite the fact that she was out in the middle of the ocean.
Marine safety officer Chase McColl took a board and started paddling out into the water while his colleague, Devon Beebe, supervised him from the beach. Beebe was also a safety officer. The police knew it would be difficult, but they were determined to pull out the rescue anyhow.
According to what McColl told The Dodo, “the rescue occurred soon before nightfall, which made it impossible to see [her] swimming.” The temperature of the water, on average, was roughly 56 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a short amount of time, McColl was able to approach the dog and rescue her from the icy water before placing her on the board.
According to McColl, “She swam directly to me, and I took her up to hold her for a little while.” She was shivering and exhausted, but she was also relieved that she was no longer swimming.
Mac and the dog made their way back to the beach in a cautious manner using the kayak.
The fluffy puppy was relieved to be on solid ground, but she approached her rescuers and her environment with caution at first. Yet after some time had passed, she became more comfortable and revealed her own nature.
McColl said that even after returning to the beach and getting inside the lifeguard vehicle, the woman continued to show signs of fear. “We brought her back to our lifeguard station and cleaned her up with a warm towel,” said one of the lifeguards. Within a few periods of time, she began skipping and jumping about joyously in our station.
The saviors finally discovered the dog’s name was Tofu, and with the assistance of Animal Care Services, they were able to track down her family. The reunited family was overjoyed to have their much-loved pet back in their care.
Although Tofu’s journey at sea turned out to be rather dangerous, the skilled rescue crew was able to return the small puppy back to where she belonged owing to their efforts. Tofu, moving ahead, will hopefully continue to become stuck to the sand.
