When Byron Thanarayen and his wife Melissa returned to their home in Boksburg, South Africa, recently, their 13-year-old Pomeranian named Chucky was inexplicably wet.
The couple wondered what had happened and assumed the dog had splashed around in his water bowl and made a mess in the house. When no evidence could be found inside, they turned to their security footage to see what their pups had been up to.
What they saw made the blood freeze in their veins. Chucky was walking near their backyard swimming pool when he stumbled and fell in. Since the dog is so tiny, he was unable to get a purchase on the slick sides of the pool. Instead, he paddled around the perimeter, searching in vain for a way out.
After a few desperate moments, the couple’s other dog appeared on the scene. Jessie is a 7-year-old Staffordshire bull terrier who became noticeably upset when she saw her brother struggling to keep his head above the water. She began circling the pool’s edge, following Chucky as if she was encouraging him not to give up.
For 34 agonizing minutes, Jessie worked to rescue her friend. She repeatedly tried to grab hold of the smaller dog with her mouth, but Chucky kept slipping out of her grasp.
Finally, after several failed attempts, Jessie succeeded in grasping Chucky’s neck scruff and hauling him out of the pool. She even placed a big paw on her friend’s back to hold him in place and make sure he didn’t slide back into the water.
When Byron and Melissa realized Jessie was a hero, they were unspeakably grateful for their sweet girl! “It was heart-wrenching to watch. We still struggle to watch that video today, just thinking of what could have happened if Jessie was not there,” Byron said. “I’m really proud of her, considering she is the youngest.”
The family now plans to install a pool cover to keep their pets safe. Thankfully, they have a wonderful life-dog on duty just in case anything ever goes wrong!
Watch Jessie’s heroic rescue in the video below, and don’t forget to share this moving story.
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