A Good Samaritan was walking near a canal in Arizona when she spotted a shopping cart in the middle of the rushing water — and realized someone was clinging to the cart for dear life.
A senior Chihuahua mix, later named Dorthea, had somehow ended up on top of the shopping cart in the middle of the canal, and she was running out of time. The Good Samaritan immediately contacted Arizona Humane Society (AHS) for help. They reached out to the Phoenix Fire Department for additional assistance, and together the two teams sprang into action.
The teams worked together using a ladder and various other rescue devices to reach Dorthea, who was understandably very scared. They carefully pulled the cart closer to the edge of the canal, then secured Dorthea and pulled her up to dry land. Once she realized she was finally safe, her tail wouldn’t stop wagging.
“We are beyond grateful for the quick actions of our incredible Field Team and the Phoenix Fire Department who worked together to give this sweet pup a second chance at life,” AHS wrote on TikTok.
Dorthea was quickly brought into the AHS ambulance and given a medical assessment. She was dirty, hungry, dehydrated and covered in ticks, but thankfully didn’t seem to have any major injuries. She was then rushed to AHS’ Lazin Animal Foundation Trauma Hospital, where she received a more thorough exam and all of the TLC she so desperately needed.
Dorthea needed some minor dental work, but otherwise all of her issues were very surface level. She was remarkably healthy after everything she’d been through — and more than ready to accept love from all of her new friends.
No one knows how Dorthea ended up in the canal in the first place, and she’s incredibly lucky that she was found just in time. After a month at AHS getting lots of cuddles and attention, she was adopted by a family in Youngtown, Arizona. She’s now living the life she’s always deserved, thanks to a Good Samaritan and the rescuers who worked hard to get her to safety.
“Miracles do happen,” AHS wrote.