Everyone knows kitties in trees are for firemen to rescue, but puppies in storm drains? Those are for MLB pitchers. Duh.
Oakland A’s right-hander and Houston native Daniel Mengden, 25, was on his way home Monday when he saw a huge crowd gathering around an animal rescue attempt at a storm drain. The rescue group seemed to be lacking supplies, so Mengden ran home, got on some wading overalls and boots, lowered himself into the drain on a ladder, and saved himself some puppies. Alongside him was an Ironman veteran, Rick D’Amico, who also jumped in to help. It seems these puppies were in ridiculously qualified hands.
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Check it out in this video, courtesy of KHOU 11:
According to KHOU 11, rescue efforts had been in place since at least Thursday, when neighbors called an animal rescue group to help save the dogs. Houston Fire Department and Houston Police Department helped remove manhole covers on Monday to give them better access, but eventually had to give up. It wasn’t until Mengden and D’Amico showed up that they were able to wrangle the two pups.
Mengden spoke with MLB.com after the incident:
“The dogs were howling, and we were just trying to whistle back and forth. They were still running from us when we got down there. They were scared to death down there. We’re guessing they just fell down through the drainage ditch to the bottom, about eight or 10 feet or so.”
Adding:
“It was just kind of dumb luck. I was driving home from working out this morning and noticed some people were outside their cars, kind of blocking the road. I went up to them and they said they’d been trying to get these puppies out.”
Six of the two pups’ stray family members were rescued earlier in the week and will soon be up for adoption with Reggie’s Friends in New Caney, Texas. Just in case you want a MLB pitcher-rescued pup of your own.
