Top 5 Pet Rescues of 2012 in Ridgewood, Glen Rock

'Courageous' Man Helps Save Lost Dogs From Wrath of Hurricane

Dave Rispoli, a school teacher, was up late when he saw a post on Patch that Jeanne Johnson's two dogs, Mango and Finn, had run away. The villager then heard what sounded like barking. Although the most devastating storm in decades was raging outside, he heroically went to look for Mango and Finn.

Because of Rispoli's actions, an emotional Jeanne Johnson and her family were reunited with their basset hounds.

Their touching story was featured on ABC's Good Morning America. Johnson has received letters from across the globe inquiring on the health and condition of her two dogs.

"I just picture if they were mine," Rispoli told Patch. "Even if I didn't know her, she's a neighbor. She lives a couple hundred yards away from me. I just did something for a neighbor, that was all. But hero? I don't feel like a hero."

A family of ducks are quite lucky Ridgewood police and firefighters had a slow morning on May 4.

"Upon my arrival one mother duck was waiting nearby for assistance," Police Chief John Ward recalled wryly. "The other seven ducklings were making their presence known in the storm drain adjacent to the crosswalk."

The ducks, Ward said, appeared to be crossing the road – not in the crosswalk, which would have prevented the storm drain issue – and just happened to fall in. The ducklings were all scooped up and reunited with the mother.

Two teens of the Cumbo family were lucky to make it out of a roaring 3-alarm fire that consumed their home in November. The family's pets, particularly "Mr. Stitches," were even luckier. The feline hid in the basement of the home to avoid the flames and smoke.

As the fire kept raging, it seemed increasingly unlikely Mr. Stitches would survive. Suddenly, the soaken and shaken cat emerged in the arms of Firefighter Matt Ramge.

The home was condemned but with incredible support from neighbors and the greater Ridgewood community, Frank and Karen Cumbo's family are recovering.

"We’re truly blessed to have settled in Ridgewood after our re-location from Lexington, MA," Karen Cumbo wrote in a letter to the community.

"The strength of the community and positive spirit is unmatched in any other place we have lived over the years, and we have lived in several places. You have all provided us a solid foundation to re-build upon and we can’t thank everyone enough. We value being part of this community and look forward to contributing to the spirit here and giving back when the opportunity presents itself."

Two cats were saved from a consuming kitchen fire in the Lawns neighborhood of Ridgewood in September. 

After a frantic search, Firefighter Kyle Monton scooped up Nikita and brought her to safety. A few minutes later Michele Ferrito, the homeowner, had found Louie.

"Police and fire were wonderful," husband John Ferrito told reporters after the rescue. "They were very supportive and responded quickly...the firemen did a great job getting them [the cats] to my wife. She was extraordinarily worried. They're OK."

A 10-month old puppy nearly had been put up for adoption at a shelter, but Kevin Crawford was able to save the day. The dog was reunited with its Glen Rock family a few days after the Crawfords found him at Hamilton Elementary School.

Have a question or news tip? Contact editor James Kleimann at James.Kleimann@patch.com, or find us on Facebook and Twitter. For news straight to your inbox every morning, sign up for our daily newsletter.