SAN DIEGO (ABC News) - A lifeguard rescued a service dog that became stuck in mud at Dog Beach in Ocean Beach Wednesday.Just after 5 p.m., a woman told authorities that she was walking the dog which belonged to a quadriplegic veteran when the animal somehow broke free and ran away. The dog, a German wirehaired pointer named Rita, then became stuck in a muddy area of the beach.
"It was up to her neck and it was terrifying," said Joey Riley, the veteran's caregiver. She was signing to the 12-year-old dog, which is Deaf.
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"As I stepped, my feet would sink down into the mud so I backed up so that I didn't get into the same situation as she did," said Riley.
It was a situation she was well aware had killed a man a year earlier, who became trapped when the tide washed in. Lucky for Rita, help arrived in the form of a lone rescuer, San Diego Lifeguard Chuck Davey.
"I was able to get the front paws onto the board and then I had to dig down into the organic matter and pull the dog up onto the board," he said. Using a surfboard, he was able to free the dog from the thick mud. Riley made her way to the animal and was able to call it over. No injuries were reported. Source
