Pet dog falls off 20-foot bridge, but survives — thanks to one man’s quick DIY solution that rushed her to safety just in time

The passersby tried to intervene in an attempt to rescue the dogs, but they jumped off the bridge to evade them.

PUBLISHED 9 HOURS AGO

(L) A puppy jumping from a bridge, (R) A man leaning through the window to see an accident. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) Eudyptula, (R) gilaxia)

A stranger’s kindness gave an injured dog who jumped off a 20-foot bridge a second chance at life. A harrowing tragedy unfolded in New Jersey as people found two dogs running loose on a highway and tried to intervene. Mark Merrion was driving when he noticed the alarming sight. A dog named Nyla was severely injured and needed to be rescued. Merrion did not think twice and rushed to help the poor animal with slim chances of survival. His quick thinking was crucial in saving Nyla’s life, as the man devised a clever solution to carry her to the animal hospital right on time.

A black dog running (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Brixiv ) — A black dog running. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Brixiv )

Merrion, who lives in Wrightstown, was on the road when he saw an elderly woman yelling for help. “Went to make a U-turn on Arena Drive and found the elderly lady in the middle of the road, yelling that two dogs jumped off the bridge," he told Fox 29. Unfortunately, two dogs had gotten out of their home, unleashed, and were running along Route 295 outside Trenton. The passersby tried to intervene in an attempt to rescue them, but the vulnerable dogs jumped off the bridge to evade them. One dog could not be saved, but Nyla somehow managed to survive with severe injuries.

Portrait of a happy man in a red hat and sunglasses with an American terrier in a dog walking area park in city (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by IURII KRASILNIKOV) — Portrait of a man in a red hat with an American terrier in a dog walking area park in city. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by IURII KRASILNIKOV)

Nyla suffered from a broken leg, internal bleeding, lung contusions, and a displaced hip following the accident. Merrion did everything in his power to safely transport her to the hospital, as they could not wait until the ambulance arrived. So, he made a makeshift stretcher out of a blanket and drove the injured dog to NorthStar VETS in Robbinsville. Merrion admitted he also fell in love with the “little love bug.” Soon enough, the news reached rescue shelters, and the Pinelands Unleashed Animal Rescue offered to help with the vet expenses. “We got a call about that poor little girl... and we knew we had to help,” said co-founder Lilly Snow. Nyla is scheduled for surgery.

A vet treating an ailing dog (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Tima Miroshnichenko) — A vet treating an ailing dog. (Representative Image Source: Pexels | Tima Miroshnichenko)

Meanwhile, Merrion and his wife, Cynthia, both animal lovers, will foster Nyla until she makes a full recovery and aim to find a forever home for the special dog. The two dogs had escaped their home while the family was away, which led to the tragedy. While the family lost one of their dogs, they also could not afford the vet bills. They surrendered Nyla to the rescue shelter, per the source. In a Facebook post, the Pinelands Unleashed Rescue Co. has requested donations from anyone willing to help pay for Nyla’s vet bills.

The post updated that Nyla was discharged from the hospital and is resting in the foster home of the “good Samaritans” who saved her. “Nyla’s recovery journey is far from over. Her liver values are still elevated, so she is on medication to help regulate them. She also still needs a critical FHO (femoral head ostectomy) surgery on her right hind leg,” the note informed. The rescue community has raised $5,316.58 out of the $6,000 goal for Nyla’s recovery.