Dogs are some of the most loyal creatures on the planet. Stories of faithful canine companions never leaving the side of their humans are plentiful.

This is one of those stories.

Heidi the German shepherd is a very loyal friend.

When her owner was faced with a near-death experience, a German shepherd named Heidi showed just how loyal she can be. Her owner is a 63-year-old Australian man who enjoys boating. Unfortunately, one morning he went overboard in Moreton Bay.

That morning, Heidi was found swimming in the water around 6 AM by a fisherman. All around Heidi were other items such as a tackle box, fuel tank, and wetsuit. Clearly, something had happened and the fisherman needed to get help.

Heidi was pulled from the water and taken to safety.

Heidi was taken out of the water and sent to a veterinarian to ensure she was okay. A rescue team then went looking for her owner.

“Brisbane Water Police were notified of the discovery and quickly swung into action, initiating a rescue operation around 7.25am involving a the Rescue 500 helicopter, four police vessels, Marine Safety Queensland jet ski, Volunteer Marine Coast Guard and Volunteer Marine Rescue,” the police reported.

Heidi had been in the water for 11 hours.

Amazingly, it would eventually be discovered that Heidi had been in the water for 11 hours treading water. Hours after Heidi was discovered, rescuers found her owner clinging to the side of his boat.

The man’s boat had lost power and had filled with water the day before.

“Amazingly, Heidi had been treading water for around 11 hours while her owner drifted in Moreton Bay for nearly 15 hours.

“The skipper was transported to hospital but was thankfully not seriously injured,” the police department reported.

Heidi gets some much-needed food and rest.

What a harrowing situation this must have been for poor Heidi. To be in the water that long must have been a frightening situation for her. If she hadn’t of hung on like she did, however, it’s possible rescuers would have never found her owner either.

The Brisbane Water Police released a statement that this story should serve as a reminder to always be prepared.

“We would take this opportunity to remind boaties to plan for the worst when they’re out on the water.”

“Always wear personal flotation device and ensure that your safety equipment, including EPIRBs, are tested and in good order,” said Senior Sergeant Jay Bairstow.

This situation could have turned out much worse than it did. Thankfully, Heidi is a loyal friend and a strong swimmer!

“Thankfully there was a happy ending to this search and Heidi was able to be our honorary PD for the day,” Bairstow added.

Your dog just might save your life someday.

Having a loyal friend like Heidi saved the 63-year-old man in this story. Many people who have viewed media coverage of this story have felt compelled to leave a comment.

“My German Shepard confronted a pack of 30 wolves one desolate winter night who approached me in their hunger. Her aggressive signal was I know I’ll die taking you (plural) on, BUT one of you is going to die. Saved my life,” one viewer of ABC’s coverage said.

“What a beautiful beautiful story. Mans best friend, loyal and determined. These stories melt my heart,” Donna Turner wrote on Facebook.

“What an awesome dog!

This is why it’s so important to not just have a life jacket on yourself but also on your 4 legged boating companion,” another commenter wrote.

Learn more about Heidi’s incredible feat of heroism in the video below!

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Source: Queensland Police News/Queensland Police Services