Firefighters were able to rescue a dog that was caught in a fast-flowing current in the Los Angeles River near Universal City on Friday, authorities reported.
The Los Angeles Fire Department received a notification at around 3:45 p.m. from several callers, reporting that they spotted a dog floating in the river from the Barham Boulevard overpass, said spokesperson Erik Scott.
The dog, which looked to be struggling to keep his head above the water, was spotted being carried by the river near Forest Lawn Drive and Memorial Drive.
A sudden rainstorm that drenched the city on Friday afternoon caused the swelling and rapid flow of the Los Angeles River that day.
The SKY9 news helicopter of CBS Los Angeles was flying over the location as a helicopter by the Los Angeles Fire Department was able to catch up to the dog, who had been carried to a wide stretch of the Los Angeles River's riverbed close to the Victory Boulevard exit.
One of the firefighters that was trained to conduct air rescues descended from the helicopter using a cable. The firefighter was then able swim to the dog to scoop it up in his arms quickly upon reaching close enough to the animal.
The dog, initially thought to be a yellow Labrador Retriever, did not struggle at all, perhaps with the animal's exhaustion as a factor his compliant behavior. The dog and the fighter that rescued him were carried across the river to the dry ground of a nearby embankment by the helicopter.
Firefighters then dried off the animal, which was then already dripping wet and soaked from swimming in the river.
The owner of the dog has not yet been determined. It is also still unclear on how the dog fell into the river that carried him through its strong currents.
A park ranger took the dog to the North Central Animal Shelter in Lincoln Heights to scan the animal for any microchips. Authorities believe that the dog has an owner, due to it having a collar and a leash.
The dog has since been named Lucky, and has been discovered to be a Shiba Inu. The animal will be taken to a veterinarian for a check up on his condition.
The National Weather Service has issued a warning that the heavy rains will continue through the day along with lightning in certain places, but said that the weather will be expected to become clear by Saturday.
