Firefighters Rescue Dog Stranded for Nearly 2 Hours at LA River – NBC Los Angeles

Firefighters rescued a dog from the Los Angeles River in the San Fernando Valley Monday after it had been stranded for nearly two hours in the chilly water after a morning of rainfall.

Los Angeles Fire Department units set up multiple rescue points along the Los Angeles River after reports of a woman and her dog in the water near the Sepulveda Dam. The woman was rescued, but crews are still trying to rescue the dog as it drifted south in the river channel through the San Fernando Valley.

It was rescued around 4 pm in shallow water in Studio City.

The dramatic scene prompted lookiloos to come out and see the action from street overpasses. Initially, a Los Angeles Fire Department rescuer was lowered into the water from a helicopter, but the dog wiggled from the rescuer’s grasp.

Downstream in Studio City, a man jumped into the water and clutched on to the dog as they drifted down the river. He lost his grip on the dog as he was plucked from the water by an LAFD helicopter rescue team.

The dog did not appear to be in deep water as it walked with the current in a section of flood channel with high concrete walls. Firefighters said the water was moving at an estimated 5 to 10 mph.

People gathered on bridges over the river as the dog trotted past. The fire department pleaded with people to stay out of the water.

“#LAFD is STRONGLY asking ALL bystanders to stay OUT of the #lariver as we continue our efforts both from the ground and the air to rescue the dog,” the LAFD tweeted. “By going in the water you are (creating) another human rescue which puts all at risk…including yourself. Please. Stay. Out.”

It was not immediately clear whether the woman and man were injured. Details about how they ended up in the river were not immediately available.