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Suffolk County parks employees James Carleton and Daniel Tuttle noticed something strange and furry peeking out from the bed of the train trestle over the Shinnecock Canal last Friday while patrolling the area at around 10 a.m.
“I said to my partner, ‘Stop—there is a golden retriever up there,’” Mr. Tuttle said.
The two men, who are employed at Sears Bellows County Park in Hampton Bays, tried to call the animal, to no avail. They realized the dog was not moving and decided to move closer to find out the reason.
“There is no easy way to get to the top of the trestle, because it is overgrown with brush,” Mr. Carleton said. When they reached the bed of the trestle, they realized the dog’s leash, made of metal and plastic, was entangled on a railroad spike.
Mr. Carleton admitted that he was cautious while approaching the dog for fear of how he would react: “I had to think, ‘Do I want to get bit?’” He soon realized the dog was much more afraid of him than he was of it. “He was just petrified,” he said.
Just as Mr. Carleton neared the pooch, he heard the train whistle blow. He quickly untangled the dog, and the two men led it by the leash off the trestle.
Shortly after, the 10 a.m. train passed the trestle.
“Had I been there one minute later, I wouldn’t have been able to get him,” Mr. Carleton said. “The trestle is narrow, and there wasn’t a place to stand.” He added, “It was one of the most amazing events to happen to me in a while.”
The dog was taken to the Southampton Town Animal Shelter where he has remained in custody since. According to Christine Russell, assistant supervisor of the Southampton Town Animal Shelter, the dog is a 1-year-old golden retriever/shar pei mix named Gunner. The dog was not injured and is in good spirits, shelter officials said.
on Jun 10, 2008