There are a variety of rescue situations where authorities recommend waiting for trained professionals to arrive so that well-intentioned would-be rescuers don’t end up needing rescuing themselves. This from westernjournal.com.
But in many cases, the reaction is instant, instinctual even. When you see someone in distress and think you can handle their rescue, you don’t often wait.
This seems especially true when an animal is involved.
A potentially risky rescue took place on Saturday in New York when a small dog fell into the Hudson River at around 5:00 p.m., according to the New York Post.
Based on some witness videos, the dog appears to have fallen in near a dock and was paddling around the ships.
The dog’s owner, a 28-year-old man, jumped in after the dog. Once they were reunited in the water, the owner didn’t appear to be able to find a way out and started to struggle.
New York Police Department Harbor and Emergency Service Unit responded with boats and emergency vehicles and were able to get the man — and his bedraggled dog — out of the water with much fanfare.
“Great work by #NYPD Harbor & ESU rescuing a male that jumped into the Hudson River to retrieve his dog that accidentally fell into the water,” the NYPD Special Ops tweeted.
Great work by #NYPD Harbor & ESU rescuing a male that jumped into the Hudson River to retrieve his dog that accidentally fell into the water. The male was unable to return to land, responding personnel quickly removed both the man & his dog to safety. pic.twitter.com/Q9LZTF4DxQ
— NYPD Special Ops (@NYPDSpecialops) July 17, 2021
“The male was unable to return to land, responding personnel quickly removed both the man & his dog to safety.”
Many viewers have chided the unnamed man, as they think his dog must have been off-leash and there are leash laws in the area, but regardless of whether the dog was leashed at the time, many other animal owners have chimed in to say they would have done the exact same thing for their own beloved pups.
Great work by #NYPD Harbor & ESU rescuing a male that jumped into the Hudson River to retrieve his dog that accidentally fell into the water. The male was unable to return to land, responding personnel quickly removed both the man & his dog to safety. pic.twitter.com/Q9LZTF4DxQ
— NYPD Special Ops (@NYPDSpecialops) July 17, 2021
“My dog passed away last year 12 years old I would have done that in a heartbeat hundred times over,” one Facebook user commented on the Fox News share of the story.
“What a sweet and good man saving his beloved doggie,” a Twitter user commented on the NYPD Special Ops tweet. “Ladies this is the marrying type. Great job NYPDSpecialops saving both. Happy ending.”
“Thank you for your service,” another added. “Dogs are just as valuable. Thanks to great work of the NYPD SOD HARBOR UNIT this pup get home to be with his family and has another day to make his family happy and loved. Now he has some new friends NYPD HARBOR !!”
Same here. No doubt about it. Our dog is a member of the family. He’d rescue me without question, and I him.
