Long Beach lifeguards save dog swimming out to sea

LONG BEACH — Long Beach lifeguards rescued a small white dog and it was later reunited with its owner.

The rescue began about 6 p.m. Saturday when the lifeguards answered a call about a dog running loose in the Junipero Beach parking lot, according to a Long Beach Fire Department social media post.

“When Lifeguard Units got on the scene, the dog had run out to the ocean and started swimming out to sea,” the post said.

“LifeGuard 7 put on his Wetsuit, grabbed his rescue board and bouy, and headed out to rescue the small white lap dog. The little dog made it out to the swim line, and with Rescue Boat 2’s help, LG7 could get the dog on the rescue board and bring it safely to shore,” the post read.

The dog’s owner was not immediately found, so Animal Care Services was called to take the dog. The Fire Department later posted on social media that the dog and its owner had been reunited.