Photographer Ruaridh Connellan rushed across the flood water, which was fortunately not dangerously deep, and untied the dog, who wagged her tail and bounded of to safer ground.

Her name now? Lucky – although she still needs a bit more luck to come her way. Lucky was left tied up by her owners on the land where they had been living in a trailer just outside Victoria.

They seemed to have fled, as did all their neighbors.

Before: A terrified dog was spotted by DailyMail.com photographer Ruaraidh Connellan as record-breaking flood waters rose around her just outside of Victoria. Almost safe: Connellan made his way across the flood water to help rescue the dog, who was tethered to the pole.

Whether by accident or design, they left her tied to a post on a leash, where our photographer and reporter her found her on Saturday afternoon.

She was happy to be free and led DailyMail.com to her friends: another dog, a pit bull cross breed, two cats and a small pony.

My hero: Connellan named the dog Lucky. And when he went back 24 hours after saving her she ran up to him and wanted to play. When Connellan visited the property the next day, Lucky ran out and greeted him while wagging her tail. He brought the pup food and fresh water.

The pit bull cross was also tied up, but on a longer leach and on the dry land; suggesting that Lucky being tied up in a more dangerous spot may well have been an accident of panicked people fleeing from danger.

Connellan said he couldn’t sleep that night wondering if the pet pooch was OK. And the next day DailyMail.com returned to the trailer.

Just look at her now. Connellan spent the night worrying about Lucky, but when he returned she seemed to be in good spirits



‘I was happy to see Lucky when I pulled up to the property, she came running out through the fence and greeted and me wagging her tail,’ Connellan said.

‘I fed Lucky some food I had in my car and gave her some fresh water.’

Lucky and the other animals appeared frightened but otherwise safe, for now.

Lucky’s friends: Lucky waswith another dog – a pitbull mix – two cats and a pony. DailyMail.com has called the local animal control agency to report the abandoned animals. They are safe but will need human attention soon

Connellan called the local animal control agency to report the abandoned animals and plans on adopting Lucky if possible. But the authorities are understandably overwhelmed by the scale of the unfolding disaster.

So far DailyMail.com has been unable to trace who was living at the trailer before they left Lucky tied up. She and the other animals had been well-looked after before they left, but they need human attention soon.

Connellan would be happy to step into the breach, after forming a bond with the energetic mongrel.

Lucky’s friend, a pit bull mix, was also found tied up on higher ground. He had more freedom to roam around dry land but not enough – so DailyMail.com set him free too

‘I’d love to take Lucky to live with me in New York. But sadly I’ll have to wait and go through the proper channels.

‘I’m disappointed in people who abandon their animals. I feel good about what I did. There is no doubt in my mind, if I didn’t unleash Lucky from the tree, she would have drowned.’

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