Sometimes, even the most harmless solo adventure of a family dog can turn into a real nightmare. And, to make things even worse, many dogs that wander away in the attempt to explore around don’t ever find their way back home.

Most of the time, they end up on a street or at a kill shelter where no one in particular takes good care of them.

However, this German Shepherd was one of the few lucky ones, as he ended up in the good arms of the Cleveland Metroparks Police Water Rescue Team, along with the Berea and Parma fire departments…

The Dog Couldn’t Escape On His Own

Source: H-6 Photo

Nobody knows how this black-and-cream German Shepherd ended up on a rock in the middle of a raging river in Cleveland Metroparks, Ohio, but it was clear that he was stranded and unable to move.

As soon as he was spotted sitting helplessly on the edge of the rock, the Cleveland Metroparks PD, Ohio, was contacted. They arrived on the spot in record time, but soon the team realized that they alone couldn’t help this dog.

The CMPD Needed Extra Help

Source: H-6 Photo

The CMPWR, along with the Berea and Parma fire departments, were the extended arm of the Cleveland Metroparks Police Department.

They all formed a team to help this misfortunate canine, and even though it was no picnic, they somehow managed to do it!

The Rescue Was Made Difficult Due To Rapid Currents

Source: H-6 Photo

It was very hard to get the dog out due to rapid currents and very difficult river access. The rocky terrain made it even harder to save him via conventional methods. That’s why the rescue team decided to improvise…

In order to retrieve this German Shepherd from the rock where he was situated, the rescue team used a ladder.

They made a bridge with it to the rock where he was stranded. When one of the rescuers finally made it to the dog, they loaded the dog into a basket, together with the rescuer, and pulled the basket back onto the ladder.

This was a risky method as neither the dog nor the rescuer who was in the basket were entirely secured, but they pulled it off without any injuries.

German Shepherd Successfully Returned To His Owners

Source: H-6 Photo

Turns out, the German Shepherd wasn’t a stray… he actually belonged to a family. After he was successfully rescued from the river, he was returned to his people.

We can definitely tell from his cooperative behavior and his wagging tail that he was so thankful to the people who saved his life. The H-6 Photo posted pictures of the rescue on their official Facebook page, together with the post:

“Strong work by all involved agencies! No injuries were reported.”