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Almost two weeks after it went missing, Menlo Park firefighters saved a pet that was spotted frantically dog-paddling in the San Francisco Bay.
The soggy dog, which was last seen on the Fourth of July, was rescued and returned to its owners on Thursday, July 16, thanks to a coordinated effort between the Menlo Park Fire Protection District, East Palo Alto Police Department, Redwood City Fire Department and the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA.
A witness at Cooley Landing Park in East Palo Alto called 911 after seeing the dog run into the Bay and swim away. Officers were dispatched to the scene at 3:26 p.m. Menlo Park firefighters used binoculars to spot the dog, a small animal with curly black fur, and pinpointed its location with a drone, according to a statement from Menlo Fire.
A firefighter holds a dog rescued from the San Francisco Bay near Cooley Landing Park in East Palo Alto on July 16. Courtesy Menlo Park Fire Protection District. 
A dog rescued from the San Francisco Bay is checked for injuries on July 16. Courtesy Menlo Park Fire Protection District. 
The dog was attacked by seagulls while swimming in the Bay and suffered a cut on its face. Courtesy Menlo Park Fire Protection District.
Footage captured by the drone shows the dog, which had swum about half a mile out into the Bay, paddling vigorously while seagulls swooped overhead. It was retrieved by a crew member aboard Menlo Fire’s Airboat 77, who reached into the water and scooped up the dog with one arm. The shivering pooch was wrapped in a firefighter’s coat for the trip back to shore, where the dog was checked for injuries. It had an open wound on its left cheek from being attacked by seagulls, according to Menlo Fire.
The dog was turned over to the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA, which was able to identify its owners and reunite them with their missing pet.
“They were truly a phenomenal partner in this because not only did they come and care for the dog, but they then followed up with us to let us know how it ended up,” said Battalion Chief Mike Stahl of the Menlo Park fire district.
He called it “quite a happy ending” for the dog after a scary situation.
“Oh my God, it was so cute,” Stahl said.
An East Palo Alto resident identified herself as the dog’s owner in an effusively grateful comment on Menlo Fire’s Facebook post about the rescue effort, saying she’d checked local shelters trying to locate her missing pet.
“My heart started beating so hard when I received the call from the SPCA team,” she wrote. “I would never be able to thank you enough for her rescue and for bringing her back to her home.”
Editor’s note: This story was updated July 20 with comment from the dog’s owner.
Did the dog belong to one the homeless encampments along the old Dumbarton rail line tracks there at Cooley Landing? The last time I was there two weeks ago, they had a bunch of smaller dogs. At least they have downsized dogs, I was attacked by two of their bigger dogs on the Dumbarton nature trail on the other side of the tracks back on Thanksgiving. It would be good if the county would clear out all of the people living on those tracks. It would safer for the families and children who should be enjoying, and learning from those natural resources out there, and safer for the poor dogs that are obviously not being taken care of.