Dog saved from drowning at Lake Tahoe by police and citizens dies later from injuries
An injured Siberian Husky that was saved from drowning by South Lake Tahoe Police officers and others after being found in the freezing cold lake water Saturday, sadly died later Sunday at a local veterinarian hospital. The police department and the dog's owners say they are grateful for all those who helped rescue the animal in the unfortunate incident.
According to the South Lake Tahoe Police Department, on Saturday, just after 5 p.m. dispatch received a call of a dog that had been hit by a vehicle near the 3400 block of Lake Tahoe Boulevard.
Witnesses reported the dog was injured and bit a person who was trying to render aid. Officers responded to the area to locate the dog and ended up finding it swimming aimlessly in Lake Tahoe, behind Lakeland Village, according to an SLTPD news release.
Officers followed the dog that was about 100 yards out in the freezing water and quickly devised a plan to rescue it as it approached the end of a boat dock. Officers were able to pull the dog onto the dock as it began to drown. Other people in the area helped the officers carry the injured dog to a patrol car, parked about a quarter mile away, where he was loaded and transported to Alpine Animal Hospital.
The dog, named Lobo, had initially been showing signs of improvement, but died Sunday night.
"SLTPD and Lobo’s family would like to express sincere appreciation and gratitude to the citizens who helped rescue him and to the security employee who recovered the officer’s equipment that fell in the lake," according to the South Lake Tahoe Police news release.
Police learned later that Lobo was accidentally let out of a hotel complex while the family was away.
"SLTPD would like to thank Alpine Animal Hospital for moving forward with saving Lobo’s life. It is contributions like this that keep our community strong," the news release states.