A dog missing for nearly two weeks was dramatically rescued from the choppy waters of the San Francisco Bay after swimming for approximately an hour. The dog, an eight-year-old female terrier mix named Prieta, had been spooked by fireworks and disappeared on July 4.
Barbara Saffing, 36, noticed the dog running toward the water on July 16 and watched as it entered the bay. Saffing, who was on her way to her birthday celebrations, stopped her car and attempted to prevent the dog from entering the water, but lost sight of it. She then spotted the dog at the end of a pier and saw it jump into the bay.
Saffing called 911 and waited as the dog swam further out into the bay. First responders from the Menlo Park Fire Protection District were dispatched to the scene, equipped with binoculars, GPS trackers, and a drone. Drone footage captured the dog swimming as seagulls circled overhead.
A rescue boat located the dog and safely brought it aboard. Despite the ordeal, Prieta only sustained minor facial lacerations. Thanks to her microchip, the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA was able to identify her and contact her owners.
Prieta's owner, Mary Juarez, had been searching for her dog for almost two weeks and had begun to lose hope. Juarez expressed immense gratitude to the rescuers and the Good Samaritan who alerted authorities. She shared that she had recently lost several family members, making the disappearance of her dog particularly devastating.
Juarez and Prieta were later reunited with the firefighters involved in the rescue. Photos of the reunion were shared on the Menlo Park Fire Protection District's Facebook page, highlighting the happy ending for the dog and her owner.