SPOKANE, Wash. — A Spokane family believes their dog was shocked over the weekend on the sidewalk across from Spokane City Hall.
Claire Miller told KREM 2's Amanda Roley they went to Riverfront Park on Saturday to enjoy the fireworks show with their dog Dewey.
The lovely evening of holiday activities took a sharp turn when Dewey collapsed.
"His bad hips prompt me all the time to pick up his back legs and help him into the car, or if he can't get up on a slick surface," Miller said.
But this time, it was not his bad hips.
Miller said Dewey stepped onto the lid of a junction box on the sidewalk and made an awful sound.
"Dewey started yelping, not like a howl, I mean, really yelping in pain," Miller said. "We turned back and his hips had collapsed, which happens a lot with Dewey. And so we thought maybe one of his hips had popped out or maybe he was having a seizure, which has happened in the past. And I mean, it was a really long five seconds."
In those five seconds, they realized Dewey was being shocked with electricity. They frantically moved him off the metal lid and tried helping him calm down.
"At one point, I saw his tail getting closer to the cover," Miller said. "I was sitting with him on the sidewalk at this point and so I just reached over to move his tail away. My hand was maybe three or four inches from the cover and it electrocuted us again, just this deep consistent current enough that it shot Dewey onto his feet."
Dewey is expected to be OK.
The City of Spokane sent crews to inspect the junction box that same night.
Spokesperson Marlene Feist said a technician found a wire with voltage between the side and the lid of the junction box. They believe this could have energized the lid and caused the shock.
"I mean it was pure chaos feeling, but again, as a pet owner your instinct is to save your pet," Miller said.
Feist said the area is now safe. But the city wants to be clear this is not the same situation that happened to another dog who died last year.
Hank, a dog, was electrocuted on a heated sidewalk outside the Washington Trust Bank Building. An investigation determined a stray voltage caused the electrocution.
The City of Spokane later adopted "Hank's Law," which requires city buildings with heated sidewalks to upgrade their systems.
While they are not the same situation, Hank's owner Zach Harper knows the horror of this type of accident all too well.
"I can remember just like it was yesterday," Harper said. "So I truly just want to express my most sincere condolences to the family that is going through with this. It's just a freak accident when this type of stuff happens, and like I said, whether heated sidewalk or junction box, it doesn't make it any less severe in my opinion. So my heart goes out to that family that is involved."
Dewey is 13-years-old and has always been an outdoor and adventurous dog. His owners are grateful to still have time with him.
"We're very thankful that we can hang out with Dewey some more," Miller said. "And just hope the information can get out so that this doesn't happen again."