Firefighters risk their lives every day while serving the public. They put their lives in danger every time that they enter a burning building or perform one of the many other rescues they do each year. Firefighters have even been known to take time to save animals when they need help.

One Miami, Florida, senior dog has a firefighter to thank after he was saved from a bad situation in Biscayne Bay.

Responding to a call

Miami Beach Fire Rescue had received a call about a dog struggling to swim in the water. Worst of all, the animal was older, so the firefighters had no idea how long they had to respond before it was too late.

The dog’s owner, Jose Ruiz, had noticed the dog, a Shar-Pei and Rottweiler mix, missing from his home. Ruiz even got to the point of posting fliers and photos of his dog online in an attempt to find him. Fortunately for the dog, named Junior, someone saw him in the water and called the fire station.

Emilio Sanchez didn’t hesitate

As the firefighters arrived, firefighter Emilio Sanchez was the first to arrive at the water. Not hesitating, Sanchez removed his uniform before diving into the water and swimming the 25 feet to the dog, who was struggling to stay above the surface. The whole rescue was caught on video as Sanchez carried the animal on his shoulder until he could hand him to another rescuer holding a board for him to climb up.

“He was very exhausted, just by the way he was breathing, and he was already barely able to keep his head up out of the water,” Sanchez told WPLG.

Reuniting Junior with his owner

Soon, Junior was back in Ruiz’s arms, who was waiting for him at Miami’s City Hall. As Junior is walked into the building where Ruiz waited, you can see the emotional owner sobbing as Junior runs over to his embrace.

As for Sanchez, his heroic actions were circulated on the Internet where he was praised by people the world over.

Sanchez remains humble

Despite all of the praise, Sanchez remained humble, saying it was all just a part of his job. He even related what he did from his perspective as a firefighter, saying in a statement:

“Any life is important in the eyes of the fire department here. It’s all in the line of duty.”

Firefighters are devoted to those they serve

His attitude is just another example of the selfless devotion to duty that many firefighters, police officers, and first responders have toward the communities that they serve. Without this sense of duty and Sanchez’s willingness to risk his own life to save him, Junior might have not made it.

You can watch Junior’s tearful reunion with Ruiz in the video below.

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Source: Facebook/Miami Beach Fire Department

H/T: Newsner, Animal Channel