08/09/2026
The pickup truck was sinking in more than eight feet of water.
One dog had escaped.
The other was still trapped inside.
The accident happened near South Meadow Village in Carver, Massachusetts, after 59-year-old Debra Titus accidentally drove her truck into the water. Debra managed to get out, and one of her dogs, Stitch, swam to safety on his own.
But Moochie was still inside the submerged vehicle.
When Carver Police Officer David Harriman arrived with his partner, there was no time to wait. The truck was underwater, visibility was poor, and the dog was trapped in the back seat.
Harriman removed his gun belt and dove in.
He swam down through the murky water, reached the truck, and managed to open a door. Then he pulled Moochie from the vehicle and brought him back to the surface.
The dog was reportedly unconscious.
But Harriman did not give up.
He gave Moochie what he later described as a “little squeeze,” and moments later, the dog began responding again.
For Debra, who had already made it out of the water and could only watch as one of her dogs remained trapped below, that moment meant everything.
Moochie was shaken, but he survived. Debra, Stitch, and Moochie were all reported to be in good health after the accident.
What makes this rescue so powerful is how quickly Harriman acted.
He did not stop to decide whether a dog’s life was worth the risk. He understood what so many families know without needing it explained.
A dog is not simply something a person owns.
A dog is someone waiting at the door, riding beside you, sleeping near you, and becoming part of nearly every ordinary day.
Harriman had an 8-month-old English bulldog named Jax at home, and he said he would do anything he could for him.
That same compassion helped bring Moochie back to his family.
A truck disappeared beneath the water. A dog had no way out. And one officer chose to dive in because every life worth loving is also a life worth saving.