It’s always heartwarming to see people going out of their way to save animals in need. We’ve seen many stories of police officers and state troopers going the extra mile to help.
That was definitely the case for one trooper, who crawled through a drainage pipe to rescue a lost, scared dog.
Lilah, a 13-year-old golden retriever, went missing from her home in Conklin, upstate New York. Days later, owner Rudy Fuehrer was walking his other dogs when he found Lilah in a surprising spot.
He heard a yelp coming from a culvert pipe near his home — and realized it was his lost dog. “I said, ‘Oh my God, that’s Lilah!’” he told AP.
While the dog was finally located, it was difficult to get her to safety. The scared dog could not be lured out with food, so Randy contacted the police for help.
Trooper “Jimmy” Rasaphone and his partner Trooper Ana Reynas from New York State Police arrived on the scene. They realized that one of them would have to travel into the pipe — a very tight fit, with a diameter of less than 2 feet.
Trooper Rasaphone, the smallest of the responding officers, knew he was the man for the job. He travelled 15 feet down into the narrow pipe, no easy task, but worth it to save the lost golden retriever.
“He crouched down and literally disappeared into the hole with a lead that had a choker on it,” Randy recalled to AP. “He was able somehow to manipulate his arms and get the choker around the dog’s head.”
Thankfully, he was able to get Lilah out — scared and soaking wet but otherwise unharmed.
The heartwarming rescue has gone viral online, and the department thanked Trooper Rasaphone for going the extra mile.
“Troopers, thank you for going above and beyond and showing compassion to help get this pup back home to her owner,” a Facebook post reads.
Meanwhile, Randy says Lilah has recovered nicely from the whole ordeal, and says he will keep her on a leash for now on.
Thank you to Trooper Rasaphone for entering such a tight spot to save this poor dog! We’re so glad Lilah is safe and sound now!
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