After Elderly Man Tumbles Into Freezing Water – Hero Pup Does The Impossible To Save Him
By Christina Williams
After Elderly Man Tumbles Into Freezing Water – Hero Pup Does The Impossible To Save Him

Sometimes during an emergency, you just need someone who can think on their feet.

And perhaps a plucky dog who doesn’t mind lending a paw to help.

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That is exactly the situation a Michigan State Police officer found himself in while he completed a routine check of ice fishing spots on Arbutus Lake.

Officer Kammeron Bennetts found himself in a race against time when he spotted a 65-year-old man who had fallen through the lake ice.

The incident, which occurred during freezing temperatures and stormy weather, unfolded in a matter of minutes. Bennetts, drawing on his training and experience, emphasized the rarity of successful ice rescues, especially under such challenging conditions.

“I could see him bobbing. It could be two seconds or it could be two minutes. But when he goes under, he’s not coming back up,” Bennetts said, highlighting the urgency of the situation.

Bennetts said he had training for water and ice rescues.

Within a minute your dexterity in your fingers goes, you lose speech, you lose everything,” he said.

The man had been in the water about 16 minutes and was in danger, Bennetts said.

“They go under the ice,” he said. “This does not happen very often where we have a successful rescue.”

Bennetts, equipped with his body-cam which documented the dramatic rescue, captured the love and loyalty of the man’s faithful companion, Ruby, a Brittany bird hunting dog. The officer’s initial attempts to toss a rescue disc to the man came up short, leading him to enlist Ruby’s help.

The officer called out to the dog, “Will she come to me? Ruby, come here!” When Ruby made her way to Bennetts, the officer attached the rescue disc to Ruby’s collar, instructing her owner to call her back.

With quick grace, Ruby rushed back to deliver the disc to her owner. Bennetts, along with the assistance of a Grand Traverse Metro firefighter who had arrived on scene, slowly pulled the man out of the water and along the ice to wear they could rescue him.

The rescued man, who wanted to remain anonymous, was promptly taken to the hospital for treatment and later released. Michigan State Police Lt. Derrick Carroll commended Bennetts for his quick and resourceful actions.

Everyone is impressed by [his] ability to take control of the situation and his ability to think outside the box to rescue the man in such a timely manner.”

Bennetts, reflecting on the unconventional rescue, remarked, “You revert to the tools in front of you. I only had a dog in front of me, so use the dog. I saw she was ready to go to work.”

The heartwarming video of Ruby’s heroic efforts has gone viral, earning praise for the clever work between officer and loyal pup.

Watch below to see this amazing lake rescue.

Sources: People | Washington Post