Lost dog saved from (very) deep trouble in Haverford
HAVERFORD » It’s been a harrowing few days for Lila, a 2-year old chocolate brown lab who got away from her owners in the Maryland Park section of Havertown Sunday. When she escaped she lost her collar and tags and her owners turned to social media looking for help tracking her down.
But alas without luck, until Wednesday a person spotted Lila, a mile from her home near Darby Creek, which makes sense, Labrador retrievers love water.
Haverford police arrived and saw the dog was trapped down a 20-foot embankment near West Chester Pike, tired, cold and unable to navigate through a deep section of water.
Police asked for assistance from Manoa Fire Co. with their Water Team to assist.
“Someone from the car wash spotted the dog in the creek on the Marple side,” said Mike Norman, chief of Manoa Fire Co. “One of the dogs walkers was able to get to her; she went down on the Marple side but was unable to get her up the embankment.”
A firefighter put on water safety gear and went down a ladder, into the water, and crossed the creek to reach the pup and brought her back up.
“She was very cold when we first got her,” said Norman. “Once we got her back up on land she started walking around on her own.”
They put Lila in a car turned on the heat and the owner was able to take her home.
“She had some scrapes and bruises but was mostly cold and hungry,” said paramedic Jim McCans, who checked her out after her ordeal.
Norman said Manoa began training for water rescues after a number of motorists were trapped in cars during flooding in 2019.
They currently have six swift-water rescue technicians and have 12 additional members beginning training. The station added a boat and the proper gear.
On Wednesday it paid off for one pup, who was happy to see them.