Irvine police use Narcan to revive puppy that possibly ingested fentanyl; dog's owners arrested

IRVINE, Calif. (KABC) -- A pit bull puppy was recovering after it possibly ingested fentanyl and Irvine police officers administered Narcan, an opioid-overdose antidote, to the dog, authorities said.

Two suspects, a man and a woman, were arrested on suspicion of felony animal cruelty and possession of narcotics, the Irvine Police Department said in statement Thursday.

Officers responded Wednesday to the parking lot of a Walmart near the intersection of Von Karman Avenue and Barranca Parkway.

Caleb Aaron Gibson, 29, of San Juan Capistrano, and Katherine Marylou Menke, 27, of Santa Ana, were taken into custody, a news release said. Officers brought the 8-week-old dog while transporting the two suspects to a police station for booking.

The first over-the-counter naloxone, a drug used to reverse opioid overdose, will be available in retail stores and online as soon as next week, its manufacturer said.

"Their puppy inside the car was exposed to fentanyl and began to show signs of an overdose," the statement said. Officers gave the dog a nasal dose of Narcan, "and she immediately began to recover."

An officer rushed the dog to an emergency veterinarian for treatment. The animal had made a full recovery by the time they arrived at the vet, according to authorities. The Police Department said its animal services unit would take possession of the puppy.

"Just two months ago, we got training on the use of Narcan," Lt. Karie Davies, a police spokeswoman, told ABC7 on Friday. "And so the officers thought: Well, if it works on humans, let's give it a try on the animal."

The Police Department asked the Orange County district attorney's office to file charges in the case, authorities said.