Dog day afternoon in channel

Emergency workers rescued a brown chow-Akita mix Sunday afternoon from the riverbed channel near Swan Drive.

Costa Mesa firefighters received a call at 4:30 p.m. from a city worker who saw the distressed dog, Dispatcher Cherie Pittington said. Costa Mesa Police and Animal Control, with help from Orange County Animal Services, located the dog with the Costa Mesa Police helicopter, Pittington said.

It was unclear if the dog ended up in the water during its ordeal.

At first glance the dog did not look well, said Ryan Drabek, spokesman for Orange County Animal Care Services. When officials approached the dog it ran away.

After about 90 minutes and about two miles down the channel, Orange County Animal Care Services officers tranquilized the dog.

The dog was taken to a 24-hour veterinary clinic in Garden Grove, Drabek said. He believed the dog had a collar on, but did not know if any owner had been contacted.

Drabek said he did not recall the last time animal services had to make a rescue in the channel.