NYPD Rescues Puppy Who Ran From Owner, Jumped Into East River
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) – A dog and her owner will have a holiday weekend to remember after her rescue dog had to be rescued from the East River.
It was a harrowing morning for dog owner Elizabeth Donovan, who has a very special bond with her year-old pup Holly.
"I got Holly from Korean Canine Rescue," Donovan said. "I can only image the horrors she faced."
Donovan brought Holly to her office for the first time Friday when the unthinkable happened.
"I work in Brooklyn, in Greenpoint, near the East River. A colleague opened the door and Holly made a run for it."
By the time she caught up to her, Holly had jumped into the choppy waters of the East River. Donovan jumped in after her.
"I tried not to, but I was watching her and at that point she was closer. I grew up swimming, I thought I could do but the current was too much."
Donovan managed to climb out, but without her beloved dog. Luckily, Sgt. Harold Salters and Det. Matthew Pecora of the NYPD's Harbor Rescue Unit were just two minutes away.
"We went up to the front of the boat just to get a better vantage point to see if we could locate the dog in the water which we did a few seconds later, pretty much doggie paddling," Sgt. Salters recalled.
He says she was about 200 yards out, but managed to grab Holly and reunite her with a very relieved owner.
"She was happy, she was crying… We wrapped the dog in an NYPD hooded sweatshirt," Salters said.
"It felt like an hour to me, but I know they did it really fast… They worried for the dog, they worried for me… I'm so thankful," Donovan said.
The water was a chilly 50 degrees Friday morning. Both human and puppy took a good long shower after their East River ordeal.
Holly was also checked out at the vet's office and is just fine.