Maumelle Firefighters Receive PETA Award for Dramatic Rescue of Dog

First Responders Retrieve Terrified Animal From Drain Pipe

For Immediate Release:
April 13, 2015

Contact:
Alexis Sadoti 202-483-7382

After receiving a harrowing call on Monday night, the Maumelle Fire Department rushed to the aid of Ripley, a 14-year-old dog with age-related vision and hearing loss who had tumbled into a 6-foot-deep hole near his home. The terrified dog evaded rescuers for four hours, as firefighters worked tirelessly to lure him out with food before finally placing a crew member on either side of the drainage pipe and pulling him free. Ripley was reunited with his grateful family and is recovering at home. For its determination and quick thinking, the department will receive PETA’s Compassionate Fire Department Award.

“Thanks to the tenacity of the Maumelle Fire Department, this frightened dog’s misstep did not become a tragedy,” says PETA Senior Director Colleen O’Brien. “PETA hopes that others will take a page from their book and come to the aid of animals in need.”

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to abuse in any way”—reminds all dog guardians to keep their animal companions near them on walks with a leash and a comfortable, secure harness and to keep a close eye on them when they’re outside.

The department will receive a framed certificate, some delicious vegan cookies, and a copy of The Engine 2 Diet, a Texas firefighter’s 28-day plan for staying in prime firefighting shape by eating a plant-based diet.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.