A dog stranded on a strip of vegetation in the middle of the Santa Ana River in Norco Wednesday was the focus of a rescue operation that ended with the canine leaping into the water and swimming away when firefighters tried to save him.
The “stranded animal” call was received at 11:40 a.m. when residents in the area of Etiwanda Avenue and 66th Street spotted the midsize dog pacing on the island, where the river had swollen amid the latest round of rainfall, according to the Riverside County Fire Department.
The agency said that several engine crews and a swift water rescue team were sent to the location and initiated the recovery attempt at 12:30 p.m.
When firefighters drew close to the pooch in an inflatable watercraft a few minutes later, it leapt into the water and swam for the south banks of the river, seemingly uninjured, according to officials at the scene.
The operation concluded at 12:50 p.m.
It was unknown whether the animal was a stray or a pet that wandered into the river bottom.