Florida police officers were shocked when they arrived to rescue a dog trapped in a river and found a manatee had made a rare appearance to keep the him company.
Residents living near the Hillsborough River in Seminole Heights heard noises in the dark at night, but couldn't figure out where they were coming from. The next morning, they discovered that a dog had managed to get himself stuck in the river. Police officers were able to rescue the scared pup, named White Boy, who was covered in bug bites and had bloody paws from trying to crawl out. However, this heroic rescue was only half the story.
A photo from the Tampa Police Department shows that a manatee was swimming right next to the frightened pup. Officer Randy Lopez told Fox News the manatee was "Keeping him company. I'm sure consoling him, telling him it's going to be alright, it's going to be alright." After the rescue, the manatee went on its way and the dog's grateful owner said she will keep a closer watch over her Pit Bull mix.
"It may sound silly, but you've got dogs, manatees, and the community coming together. What a great Sunday," Officer Lopez said.
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Local residents flagged down Police Officer Randy Lopez (pictured) when they discovered the Pit Bull mix trapped in the Hillsborough River.
A photo taken by Tampa P.D. shows a manatee wading next to the scared, wet pup and keeping him company until a marine patrol unit could finish the rescue. This iconic image could teach us humans an important lesson!
Lopez said that the rescue brought together the two animals, as well as the local community in a heartwarming way. "What a great Sunday," he told Tampa Bay's Fox News station.
White Boy's owner says she will keep a closer watch over her wandering pup. Here, she shows thanks to Lopez and the dog seems happy to be reunited with his loved ones!
