Dramatic LA River Rescue: LAFD Rescues Good Samaritan After Trying to Capture German Shepard Dog

The Los Angeles Fire Department was dispatched to the LA River at Burbank Blvd. Responding units immediately strategically positioned themselves down river from the reported location. A female and her dog were located at Kester with water moving 5-10mph due to rain falling. Ground crews threw a life saving device but the female valued her dog over the safety of the ring. LAFD Air Ops arrived on scene and lowered a rescuer to her location and hoisted her. The dog began running down the river.

LAFD Fire 3 (LAFD Copter) began making multiple attempts to hoist the dog which came up unsecceful due to the dog being defensive. A man jumped in the water to attempt his own rescue but was unsuccessful and needed to be hoisted by LAFD Air Ops.

Nearly two and a half hours later LAFD Swift Water Rescue teams were able to capture the dog. The woman was unharmed, the man was transported with bite injuries and the dog was checked out with a veterinarian.

Sherman Oaks & Studio City, Los Angeles, CA- 3/28/22