WATCH: US Coast Guard swims through ice water to rescue dog
It didn't matter that the water was freezing cold or that swimming through it was potentially dangerous to their own lives
But two officers from the US Coast Guard went into a freezing cold lake in Michigan and spent 20 minutes getting to and rescuing a labrador which was struggling to stay afloat in the water.
They had great difficulty wading through chunks of ice in the lake to get to the dog.
The US Coast Guard posted a video on their Facebook page of the rescue.
"Whether man or beast, our crews stand ready to answer the call for help, even if it means crawling through 200 feet (60m) of slurpee-like ice," the US Coast Guard wrote on its Great Lakes Facebook page in the aftermath of a recent rescue in Frankfort, Michigan.
Petty Officer Tim Putnam swam through the Betsie Bay's icy water to save the dog that was stuck and in serious danger.
The dog appeared shaken and tired after getting pulled up to safety and wrapped in a warm blanket. It could barely stand properly after getting out of the water, although it let our a few barks of thanks.
Many supporters online have showed their appreciation for the efforts by the team.
The Coast Guard also shared an update on the labrador saying that she's safely back home with her owner.
The Labrador, named Bailey, was taken to an animal shelter, where the doctor said she was very lucky to be alive, said Officer Putnam. "She didn't have much time."
Bailey's owner was found after a search.
"The owner saw her dog early in the morning, and then it was just gone," Officer Putnam said. "We discovered the dog traveled over eight miles to the lake."
The US Coast Guard cautioned that people should not to try and go into icy waters themselves if a person or animal is stranded, but too call the Coast Guard instead.
"It's not every day that crews are able to save an animal in need," the Facebook post added.
Source: Aplus, Facebook
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