New Jersey Officers Save Dog Trapped in Storm Drain
A routine walk turned into a terrifying ordeal for one New Jersey dog named Sandy after she slipped out of her collar and fell into a storm drain.
On October 10, officers from the Wall Township Police Department rushed to the scene after receiving a frantic call from Sandy’s owner, who had just watched her beloved dog vanish underground. The pup had slipped free during her walk and tumbled into a storm sewer, leaving her trapped and terrified below ground.
When officers arrived, they quickly realized there was no time to lose. “Last week, officers from Wall Township Police Department stepped up in a big way during an unexpected rescue mission,” the department later wrote in a Facebook post.
Ptl. Jerry Baker, Ptl. Dan Grothues, Ptl. Josh Wheeler, and Lt. Eric Jennings worked together to assess the situation. With Sandy crying for help and her owner distraught at the scene, they knew waiting for the public works crew to lift the heavy grate wasn’t an option.
Instead, the officers improvised. Using a lockout tool typically reserved for vehicle entries, they managed to reach down into the drain and hook Sandy’s collar.
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The moment was tense — Sandy could be heard crying as the officers carefully lifted her toward safety. One wrong move could have caused her to slip again, but the officers’ teamwork and steady hands made all the difference.
Finally, after several minutes of effort, Sandy was pulled from the storm drain and into the arms of her rescuers. In a video shared by the department, the emotional moment was captured as Sandy’s owner gasped, “Oh my God,” tears in her voice as she saw her dog again.
“She won’t run, right?” one of the officers asked, gently steadying the frightened pup. “You got her,” he added before the relieved owner scooped Sandy up, hugging her tightly.
“Thanks to their quick thinking and compassion, Sandy was safely reunited with her very grateful owner without injury!” the department wrote in their statement.
The emotional rescue video quickly gained attention online, drawing praise for the officers’ calm thinking and empathy. It serves as a reminder that sometimes, the smallest acts of bravery can make all the difference — especially when a beloved pet’s life is on the line.
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