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When a man walked into the West Division Precinct of the Trenton Police Department at 9:30 a.m. and reported that a dog was drowning in the frozen Raritan Canal, Police Aide Jose Villanueva didn’t waste any time.
He first called animal control and then flew out the door.
"I went to the Hermitage Avenue bridge over the canal and looked for dog, but I didn’t see one at first," Villanueva said yesterday.
"Then I spotted the dog pop his head up and ran over to it. I said to myself "Oh my God. What am I going to do? I’m the only one out here"."
As Villanueva was heading toward the floundering dog in the water, Animal Control Officer Joseph Miller arrived in his animal control truck.
"I saw Jose half way down on the ice and the dog in the water, rushed over there and stepped on the ice, but it started to crack and I stepped back," Miller said.
"Jose got a stick from a tree to use it to reach out to the dog. The dog was biting at the stick and Jose was trying to pull the dog out, but it didn’t do any good."
The Villanueva found a larger stick and then tried to break the ice around the dog to give the animal some space as it floated down the canal.
In the meantime, Miller ran to his truck and retrieved his control stick, which is a pole that has a loop on the end of it used to loop around an animal’s neck to capture it, Miller said.
When Miller got back to the canal he watched as Villanueva got down on all fours and crawling on his hands and knees towards the dog.
"All you could see was the dog’s nose. I thought "Oh my God. He’s giving in. The dog was going down, he was at the point of giving up and took his last breath. Then Jose reached into the frigid water and grabbed the dog’s collar," Miller said.
But Villanueva couldn’t pull the dog out alone.
Miller used the pole to reach out to the 200-pound Villanueva who grabbed the rope and Miller pulled the two out of the partially frozen canal, seconds before the 98-pound dog succumbed.
The dog totally collapsed on the bank. When he did find the strength to get up, the dog was wobbly and could barely walk.
Miller rushed the dog back to the animal control building on Escher Street where he and others quickly rubbed the sopping wet and shivering dog down with towels.
"He still had frost on his whiskers. The dog was placed in a pen with warm blankets and a bowl of water. Oddly enough, Miller said, the dog was very thirsty.
Warm and safe, the dog snatched from death slept for two solid hours.
Villanueva was sopping wet after the rescue and had to go home to change into a dry uniform, he said.
"I didn’t feel the cold until I got home because of the adrenaline. I was really cold," Villanueva said.
The docile and friendly dog and Villanueva were reunited at the shelter later in the afternoon. The dog was full of vim and vigor and collected all the hugs and petting the aide and others at the shelter would give him.
"I wrote a commendation for Jose and his heroic actions. It was a very brave thing for Jose to do. ," Miller said.
"Even though it was a team effort to save the dog, it wouldn’t have happened if Jose didn’t decide to do what he did when he did."
Villanueva was surprised at the size of the dog when he saw him all cleaned up at the shelter.
"He didn’t look that big when he was in the water. I’m a dog lover," the aide said in between pets, licks, rawhide chews and dog biscuits.
"If the owner doesn’t come forward, I am going to adopt him and take him home. I have a big house. Then I’m going to name him Lucky."
Animal Control Officer Bryain Jenkins won’t release the dog to the first person who shows up. State law mandates that the dog be held at the shelter for seven days to give the owner a chance to get the dog.
"They’re going to have to show me pictures, ownership papers, license, vaccinations, vet references and proof of identification," Jenkins said.
Villanueva said he’s waiting to get his call to join the force and once on, he’s going to ask to become a canine officer.
"If it happens again, I would do it all over gain," Villanueva said.
"It was worth it to save the dog. It’s going to be a long seven days for me.
