San Diego County Animal Services officers rescued a small dog that was trapped in a storm drain in Spring Valley, and later learned the animal had been missing for more than a month, according to UPI Odd News.
Animal Services spokesperson Sir Milo Loftin said officers were called to Felicita Avenue on Monday after a report of a dog stuck in the drain. When they arrived, they found the animal could not get out on her own.
One officer climbed into the drain and used treats to earn the dog's trust before lifting her to another officer above ground. Staff then took her to the Bonita animal shelter, where she was cleaned, fed, vaccinated and checked for a microchip.
Loftin said the dog appeared underweight, very hungry and dirty, suggesting she may have been lost for some time. Later that day, a woman came to the shelter and identified the dog as Teddy, a family pet that had been missing for more than 30 days.
The family had been searching daily, putting up flyers and working with local rescue groups to find Teddy. Loftin said Teddy became animated when she saw her owner again, wagging her tail and howling with joy, and the owner thanked staff for bringing her home safely.
