Cheektowaga police were called to respond to help a dog who was in distress.
At first, the dog was found in the street, where cars honked at her. The dog was terrified. The dog, a Boxer that was rescued from a puppy mill, was frightened of everyone and everything.
The dog’s owner, Cheryl Pietromicca, took the Boxer, Gracie, to the veterinarian when she got loose. Pietromicca said that the dog was terrified and had to be carried to the vet. Staff members of the veterinary clinic came out to help Pietromicca because they knew they would have to carry her into the clinic. But just as the cage’s latch was released, Gracie pushed the hatch and bolted out of the building.
An employee of the veterinary clinic had seen Gracie in Elliot Creek and quickly called 911. But shortly before the employee could contact 911, the dog had already disappeared.
Cheektowaga police arrived near 4822 Genesee street around 3 p.m. and began to search the creek. The creek had steep banks and was in a wooded area. Officer Rutkowski was first on the scene and heard the dog barking.
He saw that the dog had fallen into the creek. Rutkowski would wait for resources when he realized that the dog had moved and was slowly drifting away. That was when he decided to jump into the water to secure Gracie by grabbing on her harness while waiting for backup.
Moments later, more officers arrive, and they finally hoist the frightened dog out of the freezing waters. With the help of animal control, they were finally able to bring Gracie to safety. According to Pietromicca, they were absolute heroes who went above and beyond the call of duty for a dog.
Watch the dramatic rescue of Gracie, the Boxer, in the video below.
Source WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY via Youtube
