911 call leads to a dog rescue from Modesto canal
Modesto firefighters pulled a dog from a canal on Monday after a 911 caller initially reported a person in the water near Briggsmore Avenue and Claus Road.
Crews arrived to find the dog in the canal with its owners trying to get it out, according to Capt. Joseph Spani of the Modesto Fire Department. Firefighters used a rope typically deployed for water rescues to fashion a lasso and were able to remove the dog safely.
The animal was uninjured and returned to its owners at the scene.
Spani said these types of rescues are uncommon but tend to increase in hot weather, when people and pets try to cool off near waterways.
On April 30, firefighters rescued another dog from a canal near Milnes Road. That animal was alone and turned over to animal control after being pulled out by hand.
Firefighters also have responded to several recent rescues involving people, including a June 1 incident in which a deceased man was recovered from a canal on Moore Road in Ceres.
“The method used depends on the situation,” Spani said. “Sometimes firefighters can reach and pull animals out by hand. Other times, we have to use our equipment in unconventional ways.”
Spani urged the public to avoid canals and keep pets away from them.
“Canals may seem like a good place to cool down, but the ground near the water can be slick,” he said. “It’s never a good idea for people or animals to enter a canal to swim.”
This story was originally published June 17, 2025 at 10:37 AM.
