Long Beach marine patrol and bystanders help save dog on buoy

LONG BEACH, Calif. (KABC) -- Long Beach marine patrol and bystanders managed to help save a small dog clinging onto a buoy in the water Friday.

Thomas Ackerman says he was jogging by the beach and noticed a small white dog running towards the water and jumping in.

"I approach her very slowly and I'm using like 'hi mami' like you know, 'its ok,' I'm trying to get to her level very slowly. I have never in my life seen a dog and mind you, she's like 13 pounds, ten pounds, walk into the ocean," said Thomas Ackerman, a witness.

Ackerman says witnesses saw a fisherman on his boat near the dog.

He says they yelled to get his attention and the fisherman picked the dog up and brought her on the boat.

Marine safety patrol personnel affectionately named the dog "flipper," but the dog is listed as "siren" on the Long Beach city website.

"I was first of all, very impressed. She swam out very far. 50 yards in 60-degree water for such a small dog is quite a feat," said Devon Beebe, a marine safety officer.

Ackerman says the dog was very anxious.

"I was like petting her and I started crying because I felt so bad and the lifeguard is looking at me like 'do you want to take her?' I was like 'ok, I want to give her owner a chance to find her'," said Ackerman.

Animal care services checked the dog for a microchip but couldn't find one.

"Her owner has a week, so seven days, to come forward and after that time she'll be put up for adoption," said Beebe.

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