Dogs are pretty good at taking care of themselves, but occasionally they do need some outside help. Fortunately, when that happens, people are out there to lend a helping hand.

This is what happened to one dog who found herself in a bad situation in a New Jersey pond.

Akela finds herself in trouble

According to witnesses, the dog, a boxer mastiff named Akela, had avoided being hit by a car. Afterward, she had somehow become submerged and stuck in a nearby pond.

As she struggled to remain afloat, onlookers called the local police department, who were quick to respond.

The police responded to save her

One of the people watching was able to catch the whole incident on film. As everyone watched, a police officer from the Washington Township Police Department in New Jersey approached the dog in a kayak.

The officers were able to get the kayak from a neighbor who lived in the area.

A life-and-death situation

Akela had become entangled in reeds and plants on the bottom of the pond. Even though she did know how to swim, she was struggling to stay afloat as the officers approached her.

She had been forced to tread water in the same spot and was quickly running out of steam.

The Officers rushed to Akela’s aid

The officers knew that time was of the essence. In her exhausted state, it was only a matter of time before she succumbed and slipped beneath the water. Luckily, Officer John Kuligowski was able to row quickly out to the struggling dog. Once there, he discovered that she was too heavy to pull into the kayak.

Thinking quickly, Officer Kuligowski grabbed Akela’s collar and guided her toward shore, keeping her head above water. On the shore, Chief Thomas Cicerelle and Officer Dallas Overko were waiting to pull Akela and Kuligowski to safety using a leash.

The three officers were able to save Akela

Due to the dedication of the three officers, Akela was saved. The Washington Township Police Department shared the video of the daring recuse on its Facebook page. They also commented on the video hailing the three officers’ heroism:

“Today our officers were called for a K9 in distress. Akela, a gray boxer/mastiff had gotten loose and found herself stuck neck-deep in some mucky water in a local pond. Officer John Kuligowski found a nearby kayak and with the help of Chief Thomas Cicerelle and Officer Dallas Overko, they were able to rescue Akela and bring her safely to shore. Akela was in high spirits after her ordeal and even posed for a few quick pictures before being turned over to Animal Control Solutions.”

For more on this amazing water rescue, watch the video below.

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Source: Facebook/Washington Township Police Department

H/T: FOX News, Animal Channel