A tiny pit bull puppy was rescued from certain death on the banks of the Halifax River in Florida. She was found under Seabreeze Bridge on one of the coldest mornings in living memory at Daytona Beach.
Officers John Pearson and James Lee received an anonymous call in mid-January about an abandoned puppy under Seabreeze Bridge. It was 27 degrees Fahrenheit (approx. -3 degrees Celsius) and ice-cold when they rushed to the scene.
The gray-and-white pup was no more than a few weeks old. She was shivering uncontrollably and would have died if it were not for the anonymous caller. It was reported by Lyda Long, a police spokesman, that the drenched pup was found stuck between two rocks near the river.
The officers rushed her back to the truck, where they cranked up the heater and wrapped her in a towel, hoping to save her.
Officer Pearson’s emotional voice was heard in the video clip, saying, “I’m just trying to warm him up a little bit, dry him off,” Pearson said. “ ... I want to take her home.”
“This puppy was picked up under the Seabreeze Bridge, somebody had it contained,” Lee said. “Eyes are open. Don’t know how long [s]he’s been outside but [s]he is freezing, [we’re] trying to get h[er] warm. [S]he was cold and wet, we’re taking care of h[er].”
The officers drove the pup to Halifax Humane Society’s shelter, where volunteers immediately started treating her and, to everyone’s relief, saved her life.
“She was basically freezing to death,” said Barry KuKes, community outreach director for the Halifax Humane Society.
The veterinarian at the shelter named the pit bull puppy River.
Daytona Beach Police Department posted pictures of River to their Facebook page and wrote: “We really want to thank the person, whoever you are, who called and let DBPD know that River had been left to die under the Seabreeze Bridge in mid-January.”
A huge public outpouring of good wishes came in response to the post. One DBPD officer, District One’s Kera Cantrell, who was checking on an injured dog at Halifax Humane Society, learned that the dog had been adopted.
During this visit, a staff member asked her if she would like to meet River.
Instantly, her heart was stolen. “She’s mine, I knew,” she said.
“This beautiful, spunky puppy was nursed back to health at Halifax Humane Society,” the DBPD wrote online.
“One DBPD officer kept visiting River while she recovered. That officer, District One’s Kera Cantrell, fell in love with this little canine and the feeling was mutual!”
Officer Cantrell wasn’t planning on another pet, but River was too cute and irresistible.
On Jan. 21, when she first saw River, Cantrell said: “She was this teeny tiny little thing. I grabbed her and pulled her out of the kennel she was in, I put her up to my chest and she snuggled up under my neck—and went to sleep.”
“It’s heart-wrenching,” Cantrell said. “I sat there and bawled my eyes out.”
Officer Cantrell was determined that River would never suffer being cold again. She dressed the pup warmly in a baby’s onesie during the freezing winter months.
“She’s never going to be freezing again,” she vowed.
Now, River is thriving in the friendly atmosphere of Officer Cantrell’s home with friends Mojo, Duck, and Goose—all rescued dogs.
She is growing up to be a sweet, trusting dog and is a joy to all who meet her.
And when River gets anxious she climbs onto Cantrell’s lap.
“She survived it,” Cantrell said. “She’s a fighter, She’s an amazing little girl.”
“If someone does not have transportation, they can still call 911 and say that they have an animal to surrender and police will assist,” she said.
