Cranford police officers who saved choking dog were 'amazing,' owner says

NEW JERSEY -- Three Cranford police officers kept the holiday season from turning tragic for a local family on Friday night when they acted quickly to rescue a choking dog.

Cranford resident Donna Stone said she was playing with Leo, her 140-pound Great Dane / German shepherd mix, in the field adjacent to Walnut Avenue school when he swallowed a lacrosse ball and began to choke.

Leo, lucky to be alive thanks to the caring police officers

"I tried to get it out myself, but every time I got near him he was scared and fought me," Stone said. "I was panicked, and I really didn't know what to do, so I called 911."

She called 911 and told the dispatcher where she was on the field. The first officer to arrive was Officer Robert Jordan, “who helped me get the dog settled and tried to give him the Heimlich maneuver,” she said.

 

Police said Jordan encircled Leo with his arms and attempted to clear his airway using abdominal thrusts. Officers John Rattigan and Brian Trotter arrived and assisted in the rescue, police said.

When the ball was partially dislodged and the responding officers detected that Leo was able to breathe, they “offered to bring Leo to the vet for us,” Stone said.

She accepted and got into the car with Leo and sped off to Westfield Animal Hospital — with the lights flashing.

“We got there very quickly and when we got to the vet, everyone was there and ready to go.”

Leo was sedated and the staff performed an emergency procedure to completely remove the lacrosse ball from his throat.

As for Leo, he was groggy for about an hour after the procedure but was his old self the next morning, she said.

"They were amazing," Stone said. "I couldn't have asked for anything better. They saved Christmas for us. Leo was born on Christmas day, so we were just approaching his second birthday. He’s part of our family. I didn’t want to lose this dog."

“As an animal lover myself, I am well aware of the relationship that exists between dog and owner,” Cranford Police Chief James Wozniak said. “I’m glad we were able avert a heartbreaking incident for this family during the holidays.”

(NJ.com - Dec 23, 2014)

Cranford Police Department