Three Cranford police officers kept the holiday season from turning tragic for a local family Friday night when they quickly assisted a choking dog. Police said that shortly after 7 p.m. Friday, Cranford Police received a frantic 9-1-1 call reporting a choking dog in the field adjacent to Walnut Avenue School.
During a game of catch, Leo, a Great Dane/Shepherd mix weighing over 140 pounds, began choking and couldn’t breathe when a tennis ball became lodged in its throat.
The first police unit to arrive was Officer Robert Jordan. Without hesitation, Officer Jordan encircled the dog with his arms and attempted to clear the dog’s airway using abdominal thrusts. Officers John Rattigan and Brian Trotter arrived and assisted in the rescue. When the ball was partially dislodged and the responding officers detected that the Leo was able to breathe, they immediately moved the canine to a waiting patrol car.
Leo and his owner, Donna Stone, of Cranford, were transported to Westfield Animal Hospital by Officers Rattigan and Trotter, where waiting staff performed an emergency procedure to completely remove the tennis ball. Cranford Police Chief James Wozniak was elated at the positive outcome for Leo.
“As an animal lover myself, I am well aware of the relationship that exists between dog and owner,” he stated. “I’m glad we were able avert a heartbreaking incident for this family during the holidays.”