A police officer in Atlantic City dove into freezing bay waters to rescue an injured dog that was fighting for its life.
How many of us have walked past animals that were hurt or needed help? We might have been too busy with our own matters. But this police officer didn’t let a poor dog die when he saw it was in danger.
Officer Matt Schmidt got a call on October 15 about a tan and white pit bull walking with a limp. The dog looked abandoned and needed help.
When Schmidt and animal control officers arrived, the scared dog jumped into the bay.
Schmidt watched the dog swim away from shore. The water was cold. The current was strong. The dog started to tire.
“I was like, ‘OK, it’s struggling, the current’s strong, it’s getting weighted down, and it’s just going to tire out,'” Schmidt told CBS News Philadelphia.
“I just felt like, clearly, a boat is not going to get here in time. So this is not a choice. I have to go if I want this dog to live.”
Body camera footage shows what happened next. Schmidt took off his uniform. He slipped into the cold water. He swam about 100 yards to reach the exhausted animal.
When he got close, he wrapped a bite pole around the dog’s neck. Then he began the slow swim back to shore.
“Once I had him in my control, I’m just basically talking to him,” Schmidt said. “‘OK, buddy, just help me. Swim with me, not away from me. Don’t make this double hard.'”
A police drone captured the rescue from above. The video shows Schmidt and the dog making their way through the water. They finally reached a marshy area near the shore. Schmidt pulled the tired dog to safety.
Animal control officers checked the dog right away. They treated the limp and some minor injuries. The dog is now doing well and in good health.
Schmidt doesn’t want people to call him a hero. “Honestly, I was just trying to do my job,” he said. “I’m just glad I got to save the dog.”
Every life is precious. God placed us in this beautiful earth not just to care for ourselves. We are called to show kindness and love to all His creatures.
Let us always strive to help animals in need.
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