County Firefighters Hoist Dog From Floodgate in Palmdale

A German shepherd was pulled from the California Aqueduct on Friday after becoming trapped on a steel girder near Palmdale. Firefighters used a hoist to lift the animal from the water and transfer it to a Los Angeles County Animal Care & Control truck.

Los Angeles County Fire Department Urban Search and Rescue crews arrived at the scene at 11:10 a.m. on Friday, October 30. The location was an area where East Barrel Springs Road meets Pearblossom Highway, according to Battalion Chief Mark McCurdy. Upon arrival, the team found the dog clinging to part of a floodgate.

The water in the aqueduct was moving, which added complexity to the extraction. McCurdy noted that the current posed risks to both the rescuers and the animal. "A rescue like this can be significant, based on the moving water," McCurdy said. He explained that the moving water creates danger for the crew, while the dog might be stressed or attempt to bite during the process.

Calls for trapped animals and people in the aqueduct are a regular occurrence for the department. McCurdy stated that domestic pets, wild animals like deer, and humans frequently become trapped in the waterway. "There are a lot of people who walk along the trails here, or we can have dogs, deer and unfortunately people who become trapped in the aqueduct," he said.

The dog was secured in the Animal Care & Control vehicle following the hoist operation. The incident concluded with the transfer of the animal to county care.