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River Rescue Jump into Kennebec Saves Wayward Pooch

April 09, 2008 - FARMINGDALE -- Forest Busque is what you might call an everyday hero.

The Gardiner man didn't think twice about jumping into a frigid Kennebec River this week to rescue a frightened pup that had escaped her owner.

John Lachapelle, 48, of Farmingdale, had taken his dogs Jesse and Nikka, a three-year-old Shiba Inu, for their morning walk Monday when Nikka slipped out of her halter and scampered down Maine Avenue toward Hallowell.

Forest Busque had stopped for a cup of coffee at the Isamax Bakery on his way to work when he first spotted Nikka dodging in and out of traffic.

"I happened to look over and saw this puppy running up the road and nobody would stop for it, so I had to do something," Busque said Friday.

Busque said he jumped in his truck and took off after the dog, down Maine Avenue. "The little rascal" got away a couple of times as Busque tried to head her off.

By then, another good Samaritan -- still unknown to the dog's rescuer and owner -- had joined in and tried to coax the dog to him with a dog biscuit.

The little brindle Shiba Inu, the smallest of the Japanese native breeds of dogs, krpt going. She ended up three miles from her home -- between the Hallowell boatlanding and The Wharf on Front Street, near the river's edge.

Then she jumped in, Busque said, "and I jumped in after it. I was up to my neck in water. Unfortunately, I didn't realize my cell phone was in my pocket.

"But it wouldn't matter. I'd do it again."

Busque, 32, said he and his wife, Blair, have two dogs of their own.

In the meantime, Lachapelle, who had the flu, was frantically looking for Nikka closer to his home.

Lachapelle said he started out on foot with his other dog, a Shiba Inu named Jesse, but ran out of steam. He went back to his house and got his truck.

He said he never met Busque, but recognized his uniform when he pulled up along side his truck. Busque, is a technician at Al's Certified Auto Repair on State Street near O'Connor VW-Saab, where Lachapelle is employed as a parts manager.

"When they came back to me with my dog I was about to fall over from running and being sick," Lachapelle said. "I barely was able to thank them, then I went back to bed."

Busque said he wouldn't have known where the dog lived if it hadn't been for the unidentified man who saw Nikka break loose from her owner.

That man got in Busque's truck and showed Busque where Lachapelle lived.

The unidentified man was holding her and keeping her warm," Busque said. "I wouldn't have known where the dog got off the leash if it wasn't for him."

Busque said he returned the man back to his car before continuing on to work, but never got his name.

Busque was thankful that his wife was able to bring him some dry clothes.

On Friday, Busque visited Lachapelle and Nikka during Busque's lunch hour.

Lachapelle and his dogs, Nikka and Jesse, were out for a walk. Nikka sported a brand new pink halter and a collar, with tags, just in case she wiggled her way free of her new restraint.

"People ought to have more compassion when they see a little puppy running down the middle of the road," Busque said. "It's a good thing the dog didn't get run over. People weren't stopping. I'm just glad that she's safe."


BY MECHELE COOPER, this article first appeared in the Kennebec Journal, 04/05/2008


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