Ryan Arens was delivering packages right before Christmas 2018 when he heard yelping. As he passed a frozen pond in his hometown of Bozeman, Montana, he realized where the sound was coming from.
A terrified dog was stuck in the middle of the pond, and it was clear she was going to drown if somebody didn’t help her.
Arens immediately pulled over and ran to the pond. There was an older man there in a rowboat who was attempting to rescue the dog, and Arens asked if he wanted help. Arens and the older man tried to row over to the dog, but the ice was too thick for the boat.
“I could see the dog trapped about 10-15 feet off of shore, with ice all around it,” Arens told the Great Falls Tribune.
Arens knew what he had to do. He stripped down to his boxers and dove into the icy water.
“I stripped to my boxers and got the guy out of the boat. Then I slid the boat out onto the ice, using it to distribute my weight,” Arens said. “I shimmed out to where the ice was thin.”
The dog started to go under the water, and Arens swam faster.
He reached her just in time, and he grabbed her collar and pulled her onto the ice. Then, he dragged her across the ice until they got to the shore. The wirehaired pointing griffin was scared and shivering, but she was okay.
The older man took Arens and the dog to his house, where they quickly took a shower to warm up. Then, the sheriff and Animal Control arrived. They were able to identify the pup, and they called her owners. The owners were so grateful to hear their beloved dog, Sadie, was okay.
Arens left Sadie with her owners, and then he surprised everyone by finishing up his route, delivering 20 more packages!
Arens is a huge animal lover, and he was so happy he was in the right place in the right time to help Sadie.
“Animals are my weakness,” Arens said. “It was the highlight of my 14-year UPS career.”
Arens has his own dog, Hara, a sweet 14-year-old Husky mix who loves her dad more than anything. We’re sure Arens gave Hara a big hug when he got home from rescuing Sadie!
The day after Arens saved Sadie, he coincidentally received a package delivery for her owners. Sadie instantly recognized Arens, and her tail started wagging nonstop when she saw the deliveryman.
“She was freaking out, and when he let her out she ran to me,” Arens said. “She must have remembered me. It sure made me feel good.”
Arens did an amazing job saving Sadie from the icy pond. If you want to learn more about the incredible rescue, check out the video below.
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