ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — What began as a 911 call about an animal in distress turned into a holiday tale Orange County firefighters hope will have a happy ending.
The call came into the Orange County Sheriff’s Office on Christmas Eve. An area resident reported hearing a dog crying and barking, but could not find it because of a high fence surrounding the property.
That dog was Earl. Responding officers from Fire Station 72 on Conway Road found him trapped in the dirty swimming pool of an abandoned home. Earl was close to exhaustion; they think he had been in the pool for a long period of time. After rescuing him from the green water, crews took Earl back to the fire station. They bathed, fed and watered him before he was taken to Orange County Animal Services.
Earl weighs nearly 50 pounds and is thought to be 8 years old. Animal Services says his owners can claim him at the shelter. If the owner isn’t found, he will be put up for adoption.
The adoption fee is $12, which includes sterilization, vaccinations and microchip identification. To learn about the adoption process, click here.