Injured Mastiff Gets Rescued From L.A. River and Reunited With Her Family – All the Way in Arizona!

When you’re vacationing in Los Angeles, you hope to have a celebrity sighting. For one tourist, she didn’t see a celebrity but it was someone just as important – an injured Mastiff in desperate need of help. Hope for Paws received a call about a Mastiff, who had found herself in the L.A. river near Santa Monica, and they immediately sprang into action.

When they arrived on the scene, the team found this rescue would be no easy feat as the pup was located right near the river’s outlet – which leads to the ocean. The team created a human barrier and was able to contain the dog just seconds before she was about to go over the wall into the ocean. Bravely, the team lassoed the terrified dog to ensure she was out of harm’s way.

Luckily, passersby saw the Hope for Paws team and called the Fire Department for help. In no time at all, the sweet pup, named Tinkerbell, was put onto a bed and pulled to safety. But that’s hardly where the story ends!

Back at the Hope for Paw’s shelter, Tinkerbell’s microchip revealed she was actually from Arizona! Thankfully, the team was able to contact her family and learned that they had been visiting California a few weeks prior and Tinkerbell got spooked, jumped over the fence, and ran away during a fireworks display. Thanks to Hope for Paws and the L.A. Fire Department, Tinkerbell and her family had a heartwarming reunion.

Tinkerbell’s story is a reminder to always have your pet microchipped. If your dog or cat does go missing, there is a much higher chance that they will find their way back to you if they are microchipped. Even if you don’t think your best friend would ever run off, it’s important to take the time to familiarize yourself with the steps in case she or he does.

To learn more about Hope For Paws, click here.

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