A helpless puppy who was found clinging to a tree on the bank of a Co Tyrone canal two days after Christmas is “full of life” in his new forever home.
The six-week-old beagle has been adopted by his rescuer Michael McCullough and his family who live just outside Coalisland where the pooch was found on Friday, December 27.
Michael and his wife Louise had ventured out for a festive walk along the canal with their three children when they heard a crying sound at around 12.30pm.
“I could see other people in the wooded area trying to figure out what it was,” Michael recalled.
“Initially I thought it was none of my business and walked on.
“But a while later the yelping was still going on and most of the people had gone.
“There was a woman with a pram on the phone to her partner saying something was wrong – so I decided to go over.”
When Michael made his way over the brow of a small hill, the desperate cry for help grew louder.
He made his way through the overgrown area and looked around.
“That’s when I saw his wee brown nose,” Michael explained.
“He was in the water holding on with his paws crying for help.
The puppy was found clinging to tree on the bank of a Co Tyrone canal
“I rushed over and just lifted him out. He was shivering so I wrapped him up with my coat.”
The heroic dad believes the pup was dumped in the water much earlier in the day and may have been there for up to five hours.
His wife suggested contacting Drumbonaway Kennels as the couple were concerned about hypothermia setting in.
“They were fantastic,” Michael said.
“He was like a wee drowned rat and very scared when I found him, but after a few days with Colleen and Keith he was a boisterous dog.”
The family had been discussing the possibility of getting a pet pooch in the run up to the shocking incident — and it had become a “hot topic” in the house.
When they saw the appeal on the rescue centre’s Facebook page they decided they couldn’t hold off any longer.
Terrified puppy pulled from Coalisland Canal finds new home with rescuer.
“If you fish a puppy out of the water a few days after Christmas and are still looking for signs — you are in trouble,” Mr McCullough said.
“We made the call and the boys were thrilled when it was confirmed.
“Aidan, Liam and Conn are beside themselves now they have him home.
“He was bit depressed when we last saw him, but now he’s bouncing around full of life and chasing the kids about the house.
“It’s brilliant.”
Colleen Cunningham, who runs the rescue kennel, expressed concerns that “the Christmas dump out” has begun after insisting that “somebody had to have dumped” the pooch in the water.
She wished the “little fighter” well as she celebrated the happy ending.
But the new arrival means there is a new hot topic in the McCullough household.
As of Friday, despite the name of every famous actor being suggested, the puppy remained nameless.