Dog rescued from Phoenix canal taken in by police officer

PHOENIX — A stray dog rescued from a near-drowning in a Phoenix canal has found a safe haven with a police officer who helped save her.

Two weeks later, the dog, officially named Ginger, has been taken into foster care by that officer.

Earlier this month, the Shepherd mix was swept into a canal while trying to get a drink of water. The animal spent hours swimming for her life before an officer named Sandor found and rescued her with the help of the Arizona Humane Society‘s emergency medical animal technicians.

After spending 11 days in Second Chance Animal Hospital, Ginger has been welcomed into Sandor’s home.

The dog is recovering well and has met Sandor’s other dog, Patches.

Sandor will look to help Ginger with weight gain and socialization during the foster care period. If all goes well, the officer plans to fully adopt the pup into his family.

Two days after Sandor brought Ginger home, his 12-year-old daughter, Eliya, reached out to the Humane Society to give an update on how she is acclimating to her new home:

We decided to call her Ginger. We thought it fit her well. I was at school when my mom and dad went to pick up Ginger from the Arizona Humane Society, but as soon as I got home, I raced over to her kennel. The first thing my dad and I did with her was take her outside with my other dog, Patches. As soon as we opened the back door, Patches ran outside, but Ginger on the other hand, wouldn’t even leave her kennel. My dad had to pick her up and take her outside. She sniffed around a bit but she didn’t do any business. All she did was find a nice shady spot and planted herself down there. After a while of my dad and I just watching her lay there, we realized she wasn’t going to move. So this time I lifted her up and put her back in her kennel.” …

Sandor also said the dog doesn’t like to be watched but she does enjoy watching her family.