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Date Published: 25/05/2022
ARCHIVED - Two exhausted dogs saved from drowning in dramatic police rescue in Totana
The male and female mastiffs faced certain death after falling into a large irrigation pond in the Murcia town
The Guardia Civil has released footage of an exhaustive rescue in which two dogs were saved from drowning after falling into a large irrigation pond in Totana.
The male and female mastiffs appeared to extremely fatigued, and were unable to get out of the PVC lined pond on their own, facing certain death from drowning, exhaustion or starvation.
The animals' plight was discovered by officers from the Guardia's Nature Protection Service, Seprona, who were carrying out a series of checks on a nearby farm and spotted "two large and heavy dogs" at the bottom of the irrigation reservoir.
The pooches were struggling on the surface of the water, repeatedly trying to climb up the slope of the balsa, but the fact it was lined with PVC to make it waterproof and prevent leaks made it impossible for them to get out.
Jumping into action, the Seprona officers ran back to their vehicle to retrieve a rope, but it was too short, hampered further because the water level was so low. So local residents were asked to find another rope to attach to the first one whilst one of the officers rushed back to Totana Civil Protection HQ to collect two long ropes and a rescue float.
Seprona officers and an operator from the Community of Irrigation of the Tajo-Segura Transfer, who was in the area near the reservoir at the time, then began to haul the extremely anxious dogs to safety.
The male dog, which weighed around 60 kilos, was the first to be pulled from above, putting resitance trying to free itself of the rope. The female was then rescued, struggling less as she was dragged out of the reservoir.
Officers then checked for obligatory microchips so that they could trace the owners, but neither dog had one and still in a heightened state of anxiety, the male dog bit through the rope and escaped.
The female mastiff has been handed over to Totana's department responsible for the removal and control of abandoned animals.
Images: Guardia Civil
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