Lost Dog Survives Seagull Attack Before Dramatic Rescue (Video)

A tiny missing dog turned into the unlikely star of a real-life action movie after surviving nearly two weeks on its own, a swim through San Francisco Bay and an attack from a flock of seagulls before firefighters swooped in for a dramatic rescue.

The small pup was spotted Thursday struggling in the marsh near Cooley Landing Park in East Palo Alto, nearly two weeks after disappearing on the Fourth of July.

What followed was not your average animal rescue.

According to the East Palo Alto Police Department, the dog was seen running into the water and swimming away from shore, prompting a concerned witness to call 911. Officers responded around 3:26 p.m., and crews from the Menlo Park Fire Protection District launched a search.

Police later described the wild scene with a sense of humor, joking on Facebook that “the cat in the tree had the day off.”

“Tiny dog escapes marsh, survives aerial assault by an organized gang of seagulls, and is rescued by the Menlo Park Fire Department,” the department wrote, calling the ordeal a “12/10 action movie.”

Firefighters used binoculars to scan the bay before deploying a drone to pinpoint the dog’s location. Aerial footage showed the exhausted pup paddling through the water as seagulls circled and swooped down from above.

By the time rescuers found the dog, it had managed to swim about half a mile from shore.

Crews aboard Menlo Fire’s Airboat 77 raced across the water and pulled the soaked pup to safety. Video from the rescue showed firefighters lifting the dog out of the bay and wrapping it in a firefighter’s coat after the harrowing ordeal.

Once back on land, rescuers examined the dog and found an open wound on its left cheek, believed to have been caused by one of the seagull strikes.

The pup was turned over to animal control and later transferred to the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA, where staff were able to identify its owners.

Against the odds, the little survivor was eventually reunited with the family that had been missing it since the Fourth of July.

The rescue required help from several agencies, including the Menlo Park Fire Protection District, East Palo Alto Police Department, Redwood City Fire Department and the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA.

The incredible survival story quickly stunned animal lovers online.

“That doggo is amazing,” one Facebook user wrote.

“Those seagulls thought they had dinner on the run,” another added.

A third praised the rescue crews, writing, “Now this is what I want my tax dollars going towards. Great job!”

For one tiny dog, what started as a terrifying fight for survival ended with a firefighter’s coat, a trip to safety and the reunion its owners had been hoping for.