Dog tied to cinder block and abandoned rescued in the nick of time

Park rangers were shocked to find an abandoned dog tied to a cinder block and sinking into a lake in Kansas City Friday.

Tonya Hampton, an employee at Great Plains SPCA, said the dog, later named Deputy, was left alone right by the water line of Longview Lake and by the time officers arrived, he was already sinking down to the mud.

His leash was tied to the cinder block. They were able to locate the canine after hearing his cries.

"When I got there, luckily the park rangers were diligent enough to attach [another] leash to the cinder block and the dog followed them as they dragged the cinder [out of the water]," Hampton told lnsideEdition.com.

Hampton said that the dog was clearly fearful from the whole ordeal.

"I just sat down next to him," Hampton said. "I started feeding him treats out of my hand just to gain his trust. Once I gained his trust, we were able to unhook the chain and transport him over to the kennel."

Once Deputy got into the car and out of harm's way, Hampton said she could hear his sighs of relief from the front seat.

"You could see that he was already starting to calm down," Hampton said. "He was finally okay."

Employees at the SPCA were able to give Deputy a bath and get him warmed up.

"He was so covered in mud — it was just caked on him. It was terrible," Hampton said. "We gave him a really warm bath [and] gave him a big comfortable blanket. He's been wonderful since. It's almost like you can see the gratitude in him."

It is not clear how long Deputy, who they believe is between 5-7 years old, was out there, nor who left him there.

"He was definitely a little thin and extremely hungry," Hampton said. "I was angry. It's hard not to be. He had no way out if the rangers had not heard his cries. The water was rising and raining."

The pup will soon be up for adoption.

To donate to Deputy or the Greater SPCA, click here.