LOS ANGELES - A dog rescued from a rain-swollen river by a Los Angeles firefighter dangling from a helicopter is doing fine and waiting for his owner to come claim him.
Diana Guzman of the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority says the three-year-old male German shepherd mix is healthy and relaxing Saturday, one day after the dramatic rescue caught by television cameras.
Guzman says the male dog, nicknamed Vernon after the town where he was found, will be held for five days, after which he will be put up for adoption. The dog did not have a name tag or identifying computer chip.
Firefighter Joe St. Georges received several bites when he splashed into the Los Angeles River to retrieve the frightened canine. St. Georges, who was treated and released from a hospital, says he has no hard feelings against the dog.