What happened Saturday afternoon at Mobile's Dog River Bridge is two opposite stories—one of heartless cruelty by an SUV driver and the other of instant selfless action by nearby Good Samaritans and first responders.
If you stop your vehicle atop the Dog River Bridge in south Mobile, you will likely be observed, regardless of what you are doing up there. There can be folks watching from other vehicles, boats below, or fishermen on the nearby shores.
That's exactly what happened Saturday afternoon as a black SUV pulled off the road at the high point of the bridge and turned on its emergency lights.
What the observers saw was surprising. Two objects came flying over the side of the bridge, cascading down toward the river below. On closer observation, it appeared to be two puppies.
The pups landed in the cold water of, ironically, "Dog River."
Some of the observers made instant decisions: They went into the water in kayaks and tried to rescue the pups. They called the Mobile Police Department. They called search and rescue.
The citizens did all of the above, and it worked. With assistance of the Mobile Police Department and nearby Daphne Search and Rescue, the two pups were saved.
It all happened around 3:30 p.m. on Saturday. If you have any information about the culprits, you are asked to contact Mobile PD at 251-208-7211.
If you want to adopt the two pups (both pups together), contact City of Mobile Animal Shelter at animalshelter@cityofmobile.org or 251-208-5311.
He said he saw a girl that looked a lot like you up on Choctaw Ridge, and she and Billie Joe was throwin' somethin' off the Talahatchie Bridge.
—Ode to Billie Joe. Bobby Gentry
Jim' Zig' Zeigler writes about Alabama's people, places, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former Alabama Public Service Commissioner and State Auditor. You can reach him for comments at ZeiglerElderCare@yahoo.com.
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