Dog rescued from L.A. River is reclaimed by owner [Helicopter, 50 firefighters deployed to rescue]

latimes ^ | January 28, 2010

[JoeProBono]

Vernon the mystery dog is mysterious no longer: The German shepherd mix, whose dramatic rescue last week from the flooded L.A. River was carried live on many TV news stations, has been reclaimed by his owner.

The dog had been taken to the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority shelter in Downey after his rescue, and animal control officers had been unable to locate his owner because he wasn't wearing ID tags and hadn't been microchipped. Officers called him Vernon after the city in which he was rescued.

Turns out, Vernon's name is really Spikey, and he's owned by an elderly woman who lives in Maywood. According to the family friend who went to claim him Tuesday, the dog's owner speaks only Spanish and, since the rescue didn't receive as much attention on Spanish-language TV, she wasn't aware that her dog had become a media sensation until a friend alerted her several days later.....

[Krankor]

That’s fine with me. I just sent the story to Riehl World View and I’m gonna send the story to other blogs when I get home from work. Save Rufus!

[rintense]

Contact a Boxer Rescue, too! Most rescues troll shelters to save their breeds.

[Krankor]

Great idea! Save Rufus!

[American Constitutionalist]

Maybe Rush, or Savage, or Mark will pick this story up....

RUSH ? MARK ? SAVAGE ?

SAVE RUFUS !!!

[bboop]

This is probably THE most worth-while thing LA County/City has spent money on in decades. They have a Nancy Pelosi mind-set and spend like drunken sailors on the most inane things.

Dog rescue/ fire fighters/ helicopter pilots — these are good things. Might even have been White Males involved/ God forbid that THEY get money or get paid for doing great things.

[ODDITHER]

Yea, besides it gave a great training opportunity without additional expense to the LA fire department.

[JoeProBono]

SAVE RUFUS!

[JoeProBono]

[dead]

Helicopter, 50 firefighters deployed to rescue

Excellent training excercise. Work out the kinks and problems so you're ready for the twelve year old boy rescue.

[dead]

Besides, it’s not like they wasted the money rescuing a cat.

[ZX12R]

Besides, it’s not like they wasted the money rescuing a cat.

[fortheDeclaration]

Right decision to rescue the helpless.

[DesertSapper]

"Helicopter, 50 firefighters deployed to rescue dog".

I didn't notice a breakdown of the actual cost of this rescue. I'm sure there are a few out there who love animals so much they claim they don't care how much taxpayers shelled out for this. I wonder if they'd continue that claim when they know the real cost expressed in dollar figures?

[Krankor]

Help Save Rufus. He doesn’t have a home yet.

[1_Rain_Drop]

"The next time a lost mountain climber is rescued and then asked to pay for their rescue I hope he point to this."

With all due respect.
Mountain climbing is a sport. No one forces them to climb, and I seriously doubt that they end up on a mountain because mother nature tossed them up there.

Spikey did not make a decision to end up in that river. A flood happened. He was carried away.

I bet those that saved him feel extremely blessed.

One never knows. The next time it may be someone's child and these rescuers have now experience.

[Arizona Carolyn]

From the pic looks like a nice boxer, surprised he is still there.

[American Constitutionalist]

[American Constitutionalist]

I would guess she thought the dog was lost for good or got hit by a car, or picked up by someone.

[American Constitutionalist]

I think that's the goal of all rescue teams... no matter if it's a human, or animal.
For those who make a big deal about them using the fire fighters, helicopter resources, think about all the dogs that have been used in the past to rescue humans... this is our way of saying to the doggie kingdom ... Thank you for your loyal service.

[American Constitutionalist]

” One never knows. The next time it may be someone’s child and these rescuers have now experience. “ and employ a DOG to help find them and rescue them.