Chester County officers rescue lost dog

WILLISTOWN, Pa. (WPVI) -- A Chester County family has two police officers to thank for saving their lost dog who got stuck in a muddy swamp.

"I always call him the wonder dog, now I know why," said Sheila Shorr.

It was last week that the Shorr family dog 'Pluto' went for a stroll and never returned.

"My family and I searched for two days," said Shorr.

Last Friday, they found him in a pond filled with sinking mud.

"He was completely submerged and he had been like that, we think, for about 64 hours," said Shorr.

The family called 911 and set up wooden planks to try and pull Pluto, a 13-year-old Australian Shepard, out of the swamp.

That's when Sergeant Michael Martin and Officer Mike Kushner, of the Willistown Township Police Department, showed up to help.

"I saw the dog was almost submerged and it kinda broke my heart," said Ofc. Kushner.

"I don't think the dog would have lasted much longer, he didn't even more really," asid Sgt. Martin.

The officers went to the rescue, their efforts were captured on cellphone video.

"When I tried to step into that swamping area, it immediately started sinking," said Sgt. Martin.

Finally after some effort, they got him out.

The dog was rushed to the vet's office where he was cleaned up and treated for several hours.

The family later got the call that Pluto was going to be okay.

"Actually, afterwards we were kind of happy, celebrating silently like, 'Hey, good job!' said Sgt. Martin.

"Most memorable experience of my career, really," said Ofc. Kushner

Believe it or not, these officers deal with animal rescues quite often.

"We deal with those types of incidents all the time, lost dogs, dogs trapped, horses in pools," said Ofc. Kushner.

The Shorr family is very grateful to these hero officers.

"We are just so filled with admiration. Pluto we're just so grateful that you made it," said Shorr.