A pet dog ‘Ruby’ came to her owner’s rescue after he slipped beneath the ice of a frozen lake in Michigan.
The 65-year-old man fell through the ice in Arbutus Lake in East Bay Township, Michigan, on Thursday, January 18 at 11:45 am.
Worried bystanders on the shore called 911 and Michigan State Police hurried to the scene, with Motor Carrier Officer Kammeron Bennetts leading the pack.
The quick-thinking officer swiftly enlisted the help of the man’s loyal pup Ruby, who was sticking close to his side above the icy surface.
Bennetts couldn’t reach the man due to the intense icy conditions, so asked the man to send Ruby over to him – and when Bennetts called her name the well-trained canine rushed over.
He attached the rescue disc to Ruby’s collar and sent her back across the ice to where the man was stuck in the freezing water.
The clever canine dashed to her owner’s rescue and the 65-year-old was able to get a hold of the rescue disc.
‘Bring your feet up to the surface by kicking your feet!’ Bennetts yelled as he yanked the man on top of the frozen surface.
The hero officer kept pulling on the rope, dragging him onto safer ice near the lake’s edge.
Bennetts along with a local firefighter were then able to grasp his arms and pull him to safety, with Ruby still attached to the rope.
The man was quickly transported by ambulance to a hospital for treatment and later released.
‘The only other tool I had was ruby,’ Bennetts said in a video reflecting upon the astounding rescue.
‘She knew dad was in trouble and she knew she had to do something to help too.
‘He was in the water for approximately 16 minutes and its a miracle that everything was as good as it was,’ Bennetts said.
The agency cheered the rescue in a posting on X, formerly known as Twitter, praising Ruby in particular.
‘What a good girl!!! Amazing ice rescue from 7th District, MCO Bennetts. Creative thinking helped save a life!! EXCELLENT JOB MCO Bennetts and RUBY!!’ the tweet states, adding, ‘Great team work and well done!’
Emily Foster is a globe-trotting journalist based in the UK. Her articles offer readers a global perspective on international events, exploring complex geopolitical issues and providing a nuanced view of the world’s most pressing challenges.
