Good Boy Back Home Safe After OKC Police Find, Rescue Missing Labradoodle In Surprising Location

For a pet owner there may be no worse feeling than not knowing where your beloved family member is.

That was one the case for a metro family whose labradoodle mix has an amazing story to share and so do police.

“There were tears for sure,” said Darcie Crawford about the seven days Dennis was gone.

While the family was away, the 100 lb. labradoodle mix got out of a friend’s backyard and went missing.

“Aunts, uncles, moms, dads, and cousins were all out looking for him,” said Crawford.

According to posts from people on social media, Dennis was spotted around Rockwell and 36th and again behind the Walmart at NW Expressway and Council.

But Dennis wasn’t found.

“We were kind of coming to terms that he wasn't going to be back home,” added Crawford.

On the 7th day hope would come from a strange location.

A woman called 911 to report a dog stuck along the banks of Lake Hefner. It appeared the dog couldn’t or wouldn’t get out of the water.

“He’s going to get tired and drown,” said the 911 caller.

Soon Officers Jimmy Parsons and Tony Sanchez were in a boat searching the banks of Lake Hefner.

“I was thinking maybe we maybe ought to give up because we had been out there for a awhile,” said MSgt. Jimmy Parsons, with the Oklahoma City Police Department.

But the officers’ luck changed in the middle of the lake.

Bodycam video captured a cold, confused and exhausted Dennis at least a mile from shore trying his best to keep his curly haired head above water.

“You could tell he’d been out there for a while,” said Parsons, who helped pull Dennis into the boat.

Parsons called the number on the collar.

“He said we have your dog and I said, ‘OK great where can I meet you?’ and he said on a boat in Lake Hefner and I said OK didn't think to check the lake,’” said Crawford.

Dennis's bark echoes through the neighborhood once again.

“After those first few days of sleeping really hard he's back to old self like nothing ever happened,” said Crawford. “I can't thank them enough for bringing our Dennis back and saving his life.”