Dog rescued from Flat Rock River sandbar in Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ind. (WISH) — Firefighters rescued a dog Thursday afternoon from a sandbar on the Flat Rock River in northwestern Columbus.

Firefighters and members of the Columbus Animal Care Services monitored the dog before its eventual rescue, said Capt. Michael Wilson, public information officer for Columbus Fire Department.

Crews were called shortly before 12:30 p.m. Thursday to the bridge in the 3400 block of North National Road, also known as U.S. 31.

Animal Care Services tried to lure the dog with food, but the dog would enter the water only briefly before retreating to the sandbar, Wilson said. A firefighter in a water rescue dry suit eventually walked across the river to reach the dog and carry it to the riverbank.

A passerby identified the dog’s owner while the rescue was underway. The dog was identified as a 1-year-old boxer named Kobe. The dog was reunited with its owner, who was not identified by Wilson. The owner told rescuers that the dog had been missing since 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, when it had jumped a fence and run away. The dog was not hurt.