A Florida police officer recently sprang into action to save a dog in serious trouble.
On July 3, Lighthouse Point Police Officer Bob Stebbins responded to a call at around 10 p.m. from a panicked woman who said her dog had accidentally fallen into the Intracoastal Waterway in Lighthouse Point, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale, and was drowning.
According to a statement from Lighthouse Point P.D. on Facebook, when Stebbins arrived, the dog had been treading water for roughly 25 minutes and was exhausted. Although it was dark, Stebbins was able to make out the dog, whose snout was just above the water, and saw that its leash was tangled in nearby dock pilings.
Without hesitation, Stebbins took off his gear and dove into the dark water to save the struggling pooch. He successfully untangled the dog’s leash and then returned the pup safely to shore.
The dog’s owner was “overjoyed to be reunited with her family member,” the department wrote. The department also shared a photo of Officer Stebbins holding the dog, and ended its message with: “Thank you, Officer Stebbins. Great work!”
One commenter, Menchy Karina Villafuerte, who appeared to be the officer’s sister-in-law, was very proud.
“So proud of my brother-in-law but not surprised at all! This is who he is, an amazing human being and I am so happy his heroic act is being shared as it should!” she wrote.