German Shepard Reunited With Family After Dramatic NYPD Scuba Rescue

GRAVESEND, BROOKLYN — It was a ruff morning for Chase, a one-and-a-half year old German Shepard rescued from the waters of Gravesend Bay by police divers with the NYPD's Scuba Unit.

The NYPD Harbor Unit received a 911 call around 6:30 a.m. from a passerby who saw a dog swimming in the bay, police said.

That's when the Scuba Unit stepped in.

Divers were deployed from Scuba Launch 8 to rescue Chase, who was in fine condition when they reached him in the water, police said.

Cops then transported the dog to Police Harbor "Charlie," located near Gowanus Bay at 33rd Street in Sunset Park, Brooklyn.

NYPD officers soon realized Chase matched a dog listed on the Lost and Found Pets in Brooklyn Facebook page. So they reached out to his owner, Francisco Vazquez, who was overjoyed to hear Chase was alive and well.

Vazquez's brother immediately drove to Sunset Park to pick up Chase after the Friday-morning rescue.

The dog had gone missing around 24 hours before police called, Vazquez told Patch. Chase is the beloved household dog, he said, so he and his family were distraught over his disappearance.

The family lives about 15 miles from Gravesend Bay, in Coney Island — meaning little Chase made a long journey, Vazquez said.

“I don’t know how he got there," he said. "I’m assuming he walked. I don’t know.”

Vazquez said Chase has never swam off the shores of New York City before, but is used to swimming at their vacation house in Pennsylvania.

"He likes to be where there’s water," Vazquez said.

Chase is exhausted from his adventures, Vazquez said, but is happy to be safe at home with his family.

Rescue photos courtesy of NYPD Special Ops. Lead photo courtesy of Francisco Vazquez.