Florida deputy saves K-9 partner from falling off 75-foot tall bridge
BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. - A Brevard County Sheriff’s Office deputy saved her K-9 partner from falling off the State Road 528 bridge.
FOX 35 News heard from Deputy Lauren Donaldson for the first time on Tuesday since last month's heroic rescue. The terrifying moments were all caught on the dash cam, including when K-9 Zeppelin went over the wall on the S.R. 528 bridge as they returned to their vehicle.
"I have two options: I can let go of my leash and let my dog fall, or I can put work in and, you know, save him," said Lauren Donaldson, a BCSO deputy.
Her partner would’ve fallen 75 feet if it weren’t for Deputy Donaldson, who pulled her 75-pound partner to safety seconds after he jumped.
"I was able to use the harness here and grab him with my other hand as soon as I reeled him in pretty much," she said.
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Zeppelin and Deputy Donaldson have been partners for five years. They had just finished a felony arrest on the bridge, and Zeppelin was still in work mode.
"Jumping up on things is definitely not abnormal. It’s definitely not abnormal for a Malinois," she said.
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Deputy Donaldson says a few days before this incident, she and Zeppelin had jumped over another cement wall, which is why she thinks her partner took the leap.
"He had no idea that we’re on an elevated platform or a bridge," said the deputy.
His life could’ve ended on the bridge, but it didn’t, thanks to his partner. The duo got a criminal off the street and saved each other from peril.
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"It was definitely a win-win situation," she exclaimed.
The rescue is even more remarkable considering Deputy Donaldson is just 122 pounds.
She says she's heard from people worldwide who've seen the now-viral video on social media. She says she and Zeppelin are always looking out for each other, and she would save him in a heartbeat all over again.