Manatee keeps trapped dog company until help arrives

Thursday, September 25, 2014, 4:51 PM - Kindness comes in all shapes and sizes. When a dog got trapped in a river in Tampa, Florida Friday evening, witnesses say a manatee kept the pooch company until help arrived.

Officers from the Tampa Police Department's Marine Patrol unit were at the scene Saturday morning after receiving a call from a resident.

In a photo posted to the department's Facebook page, the dog can be seen in the water with a manatee swimming close by.

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Officer Randy Lopez was able to climb into the water and retrieve the distressed pooch.

He told ABC news that the fresh water and the commotion the dog was making are probably what attracted the manatee.

“They’re curious by nature so I’m sure the the sound of the dog splashing in the water trying to get up the sea wall got his attention and he came over to investigate, maybe calm the dog and tell him it was going to be alright,” he told the news agency.

Courtesy: Tampa Police Department/Facebook

“Once I got in the water I could see it kind of turned away and gave one good little flutter with its tail and was on its way,” he added.

On its Facebook page, the department says the touching scene serves a reminder of the "importance of kindness."

Courtesy: Tampa Police Department/Facebook