Video: Fla. officers rescue freezing puppy

The dog, a female pit bull now named River the Frozen Puppy, was taken to the Halifax Humane Society where she was nursed back to health

February 13, 2018 10:48 AM

By C. A. Bridges
The News-Journal, Daytona Beach, Fla.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. — An anonymous call led to the rescue of a puppy left under the Seabreeze Bridge in January, and Daytona Beach police have released video of the scene.

On Thursday, January 18, temperatures had dropped below freezing when someone called the Daytona Beach Police Department to report that a dog had been left to die under the bridge, police said in a Facebook post at the time. Animal Control Officers John Pearson and James Lee located and recovered the puppy, which be seen shivering in a video released by the DBPD.

“This puppy was picked up under the Seabreeze Bridge, somebody had it contained,” Lee says in the video. “Eyes are open. Don’t know how long he’s been outside but he’s freezing, trying to get him warm.

“He was cold and wet. We’re taking care of him,” Lee said. In the video the officers can be seen holding the dog in front of the vehicle’s air vents for warmth.

The dog, a female pit bull now named River the Frozen Puppy, was taken to the Halifax Humane Society where she was nursed back to health, police said. And she found a new home.

“One DBPD officer kept visiting River while she recovered,” a recent Facebook post said. “That officer, District One’s Kera Cantrell, fell in love with this little canine and the feeling was mutual!

“Officer Cantrell is now River’s new Mom and these are two happy girls!”

River’s Rescue
For the last couple of weeks we’ve been telling you about River the Frozen Puppy. As you know her story ended happily; she is safe and sound and very loved in the home of one of our police officers. But we wanted to share the moment after River was found and then rescued by our wonderful animal control officers John Pearson and James Lee. And 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 when the temperature had fallen to below freezing.
Posted by Daytona Beach Police Department on Thursday, February 8, 2018

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