A tiny puppy who was pulled from the waters of the East River near Manhattan’s South Street Seaport has been reunited with the officers who rescued her, even as the search continues for her rightful owner.
The dog was discovered on a recent Saturday morning by NYPD’s Harbor Unit. Officers on patrol spotted her paddling in circles, alone and exhausted. She wore a pink harness but had no tags or microchip, and no one nearby could say where she had come from.
“There was no one around, and we asked everyone who was nearby. No one knew anything,” said Officer Joe Pascone of the NYPD. The officers quickly maneuvered their boat alongside the struggling pup.
“We noticed this small, white dog with a pink harness just swimming around in circles,” said Officer Jared Desalvo. “She was clearly tired from the current. If we hadn’t reached her when we did, I don’t think she would have lasted much longer.”
Officer Pascone reached down and lifted the dog out of the river. Despite the stress of the situation, she didn’t resist and allowed herself to be brought aboard the patrol boat.
“She just sat there and wanted to get warm,” said Officer Jenny Driscoll. “We wrapped her in blankets. She was calm, and you could tell she was relieved.”
The pup is now in the care of East Harlem’s Animal Care Centers of New York City, where she’s receiving love and medical attention alongside over 160 other dogs awaiting adoption.
Staff believe she’s about one or two years old. She was in good condition when rescued, which gives hope that she has an owner out there who may be searching for her. Unfortunately, without a microchip and no identifying tags, tracking down her family is proving difficult.
“She had the harness, but no tags. It’s a weird situation,” said Pascone.
As of now, there are no leads from missing pet posters or community reports. The team at ACC and the NYPD are urging anyone who recognizes the dog or knows her owner to come forward and contact ACC in East Harlem.
While the mystery of how she ended up in the river remains unsolved, one thing is clear. Thanks to the quick thinking and compassion of the NYPD Harbor Unit, this little dog was given a second chance.
