A dog is being praised a hero for saving the life of a man who’d been swept out to sea near Gosport, UK.
The man, who was in his mid-50s, had been traveling on a small transport boat Saturday evening during stormy conditions. According to BBC, he unfortunately slipped and fell off the boat near the Royal Clarence Marina.
Once off the boat, he has quickly swept around 300 meters away in frigid, rough water. The next few hours would prove to be life-or-death for the man, as he struggled to stay warm and above water.
Coincidentally, a dog owner happened to be taking her black cockapoo for a walk near the water when her dog “suddenly started barking,” according to a press release.
The small pup, Poppy, barked so much, the owner couldn’t help but pay attention and that’s when she heard somebody shouting for help.
Unsure what else to do, the woman quickly called the coastguard and they were able to locate the man in the water, clinging to a post.
Naturally, the man needed some treatment for hypothermia but he was otherwise ok. He was alive, after all!
According to BBC, a member of the response team, James Baggott, stated: “He was incredibly lucky. Being in the water for 30 minutes at this time of year, in a storm force gale with the sea temperature as it is, he was very lucky to survive.”
We can just imagine that little Poppy will be getting all of the treats and extra attention for a job well done!