If you saw a dog drowning in a muddy pond, we’re sure you’d do whatever you could to save them – even if it meant putting your own life at risk. So when some police officers from New Jersey received a call about a dog who was struggling to swim in a nearby pond, they jumped straight into action and rowed out in a kayak to save her.
An onlooker captured the whole rescue on camera, and the police department proudly shared the video so that we can watch the awesome moment that the dog’s life is saved.
Akela the Boxer Mastiff mix had already avoided being hit by a car, and now she was submerged in a pond and struggling to keep afloat. The accident-prone pooch didn’t seem to have any owners in sight, and had now chanced death for the second time.
Luckily, a person who lived near to the pond spotted Akela and immediately called for the help of the Washington Township Police Department, who headed straight over to help. The team of men quickly thought on their feet and borrowed a kayak from somebody in the neighborhood. They then rowed out to save Akela.
Although she was able to swim, Akela had become tangled in all of the reeds and plants at the bottom of the pond, forcing her to tread water in the same spot. The officers knew that they didn’t have much time left to save the pooch. She was clearly exhausted, and every so often her head became submerged underwater.
“The poor thing must have been treading water for a while and not going anywhere,” said police Lt. John Kaufmann.
In the video, you can see Officer John Kuligowski row out to the struggling pup. He tries to pull her up onto the safety of the kayak, but when he realizes that she’s too heavy, he takes hold of the scruff of her neck and guides her back to shore, making sure that he doesn’t go underwater again.
Once the kayak reaches the shore, Chief Thomas Cicerelle and Officer Dallas Overko help to pull the pair to safety. They tied a ball to the end of a leash before throwing it out to Officer Kuligowski. As soon as he takes hold of it, they pull on their end of the leash and help to pull the kayak to the shore, whilst Officer Kuligowski keeps a firm hand on Akela.
Thankfully, Akela was right as rain after her ordeal, and appeared to be ‘in high spirits’. She was clearly grateful for the officers who had just saved her life!
Washington Township Police Department shared the two rescue videos onto their Facebook page, along with the caption:
“Today our officers were called for a k9 in distress. Akela, a gray boxer/mastiff had gotten loose and found herself stuck neck deep in some mucky water in a local pond. Officer John Kuligowski found a nearby kayak and with the help of Chief Thomas Cicerelle and Officer Dallas Overko, they were able to rescue Akela and bring her safely to shore. Akela was in high spirits after her ordeal and even posed for a few quick pictures before being turned over to Animal Control Solutions.”
These men are truly heroes, and they deserve to be recognized for their amazing work.
All that’s left now is for Akela to be reunited with her family! The police force says anyone who knows who the dog belongs to should contact Washington Township Police or Animal Control Solutions. We hope this sweet pooch is back where she belongs very soon.
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