Heroic Officers Save Dog From Frozen Backyard Pond In New Jersey

HOPEWELL TOWNSHIP, N.J. (CBSNewYork) -- A police officer in Mercer County, New Jersey risked his own safety to save a dog who fell through the ice at a pond.

Nisel, a one-year-old rottweiler, really enjoys chasing her pet ducks in the backyard in Hopewell Township. But the canine game turned into a life-or-death situation last week.

As captured on police body cam video, Nisel was perilously trapped by ice and struggling to get out of the water.

"There was absolutely no way she could have gotten out herself," Nisel's owner Carolyn Wooley told CBS2's Meg Baker.

Wooley says her prized pooch was frantic and freezing. She immediately called 911.

Officers George Peterson and Robert Voorhees rushed to the home on Pennington Harbourton Road.

"They were trying to blow up a raft and one officer said he wasn't waiting," Wooley said. The officer tied a rope around his waist and took matters into his own hands.

The officers say as soon as they saw Nisel go under they had to go in -- no coat, no life jacket, and no protection from the icy waters.

"We could tell she was getting tired out there," Peterson said. His partner says he was able to grab Nisel by her color and hold onto it before Peterson yanked them back in.

"The dog basically thought it was a great time running around afterwards," Peterson said.

Wooley gave officer Voorhees a big hug after the daring rescue.

"I'm just so impressed that his first thought was the dog," she said.

Despite the cold, Nisel is still determined to beat her ducks to the other side of the pond. As for Officer Voorhees, he tells CBS2 he does the Polar Bear Plunge every February for the Special Olympics, so he was prepared for the shock of entering the bitterly cold water.