WATCH: Officers rescue half-blind dog from marsh — then need rescue themselves

HAMILTON — Two Mercer County animal control officers rescuing a dog had to be rescued themselves when they got stuck in a marshy area.

Hamilton Police Capt. James Stevens said the officers had spent most of the day looking for Maxine, a 14-year-old beagle that is blind in one eye and was reported missing off Jeremiah Avenue.

A landscaper had been working in the neighborhood and heard Maxine barking but couldn't see her, according to Jeffrey Plunkett, director of the Hamilton Department of Health, Recreation, Senior and Veterans Services.

"It sounded like it was in distress so he called the animal control officers and they responded but they couldn't see the dog either," Plunkett said.

Mercer County Mosquito Control tried to help but couldn't get out to the swampy area.

Plunkett said a neighbor had some wooden planks in his yard and let officers lay them out into the Abbot Marshlands, toward the barking.

"By that time the owner was on site," Plunkett said. "The dog saw the owners and jumped off of this lily pad it was sitting on and towards the owners."

During the search in the 90-degree heat and humidity, two of the officers became faint and had to be hospitalized for dehydration.

Lena, the owner of the dog, told Brian McCarthy of OnScene News that the dog had been missing since Sunday.

"I called the pound on Monday thinking they had her and they didn't have her, and I came back here and whistled and she was barking and I heard her," Lena said.

Lena said she moved recently to nearby Lalor Street

Plunkett said Maxine is in good condition following the rescue.

The following video was shot by Brian McCarthy for OnScene news: