Vernon's amazing river rescue

The rain and flooding in California has resulted in a dangerous situation--leaving people stranded, and dogs too. A dog was found to be stranded on a ledge by the L.A. River in Vernon, CA. Rescuers spent more than an hour getting this guy to safety. It was no easy task because he was scared and he didn't understand that the helicopter and firemen were there to help. He bit the his rescuer, but firefighter Joe St. Georges did not give up. St. Georges managed to get a hold of the very scared dog and they were airlifted to safety. The dog is expected to recover just fine, and hopefully will have the opportunity to give some well deserved wags and kisses to the heroic fireman who saved his life.

Check out the amazing footage:

UPDATE: Local KTLA provides an update on the rescued dog--who they are now calling Vernon. The veterinarian says that Vernon is doing great, except for his toenails being ground down from attempting to scale the ledge on his own. He is a beautiful 60lb German Shepherd mix, estimated to be about 6 years old. He sure looks much more relaxed now that he is safe.

His savior, firefighter Joe St. George was injured, but in this interview, he said he does not blame Vernon for biting him because it was normal that he was frightened. No owner has come forward yet to claim Vernon, and he had no collar or microchip to identify him. According to the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority, if he remains unclaimed, he will be put up for adoption after his 10 day quarantine has been completed.

To watch the whole post-rescue update video, go here.