While emergency crews were conducting a training drill near Pollock Beach in South Africa, they were alerted that a dog that had been swept far from shore was struggling to stay afloat.
The ordeal ended with Bean, an Australian Shepherd, safely back on land and reunited with his family.
Here's what to know
GoodGoodGood reported that the National Sea Rescue Institute in Gqeberha mobilized after receiving word that Bean was spotted more than 650 feet offshore.
Because a NSRI team was already nearby for a routine exercise, the response was fast, with a rescue craft launched and swimmers being deployed right away. The rescue effort also included lifeguards and a bystander who paddled out on a rescue board, per GoodGoodGood.
In a statement about the rescue, an NSRI representative said, "When the NSRI rescue craft arrived on the scene, half a kilometer offshore, an NSRI rescue swimmer entered the water and secured the dog, bringing him safely aboard… Wrapped in blankets and warmed by the rescue swimmer's body heat, the dog, appearing hypothermic, was brought safely to the NSRI Gqeberha rescue station, where warming procedures continued."
More background
The NSRI added that it appeared that Bean had initially gotten off-leash during a walk before falling into the water, per The Herald. As his owner attempted to bring him back to land safely, Bean was caught in a rip current, which swept him out to sea.
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Thankfully, Bean's collar had his owners' contact information. Using the phone number on his tag, rescuers contacted Bean's family, who then came to the rescue station for what the NSRI described as "an emotional reunion," per GoodGoodGood.
Where can I learn more?
Bean's rescue shows how quickly a dog can get into trouble near the water. The articles here describe another offshore emergency in Northumberland, a days-long rescue under a South Australian breakwater, and an example of a dog helping with wildlife work near waterways.
• Off Northumberland, boat crews pull German Shepherd to safety after winds blew his inflatable kayak seaward.
• At Glenelg in South Australia, rescuers freed a fox terrier trapped beneath a breakwater for five days.
• In the eastern United States, trained dogs changed our view of turtles by helping locate elusive box turtles.
Read together, these stories give a fuller picture of the risks dogs face around the water, along with the rescues and conservation work that can follow.
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