Glendale officers use treat to rescue German shepherd stuck in a canal

Glendale police officers used a special treat to save a precious pooch struggling to swim in a canal last week. On June 17, officers say a bystander saw a German shepherd swimming in a canal near 79th Avenue and San Miguel Avenue, south of Bethany Home Road. Several officers arrived, and body-cam video shows the poor, tired pup swimming and unable to get out. Police say Officer Sorenson immediately took off his bulletproof vest and gun belt and got into the canal to try and coax the dog to swim to him. However, the dog was skittish and afraid to swim to Sorenson, but Officer Downey had just the plan.

“You got any food?” another officer asks Downey in his body-cam video. Officer Downey then heads back to the patrol SUV and gets a bag out. “Try this, it’s my wife’s pumpkin muffins,” Downey says. He hands the muffins to Sorenson. “Hey look! Look what I got!” Sorenson tells the pup, who begins swimming to him. The dog slowly goes to Sorenson, takes a sniff and starts eating the treat. Sorenson was able to grab the dog by the collar and help him out of the canal. “Good boy!” the officers cheer as they give him the well-earned treat. “Well, there goes my muffin,” Downey jokes. “Hey, you saved a pooch, though,” another officer says.

The video ends with the owner walking up and thanking the officers for the rescue. The dog was saved, all thanks to a pumpkin muffin.