Police officer crawls across ice to rescue dog stranded in New Jersey lake
A police officer in New Jersey took the plunge to help rescue a dog that found itself stranded in frigid waters in Monmouth County.
The Hazlet Township Police Department shared video of the icy encounter on Facebook. In the clip, Patrolman Doug Centrone is seen crawling across a thin sheet of ice on the partially frozen lake at Veteran's Park before entering the water. He then lifts a dog named Taffy back onto the ice so she can run to shore.
According to the department, Patrolman Centrone is part of the agency's Maritime Emergency Response Team and was able to quickly get on the proper gear and rescue Taffy.
Police said Taffy's owner tripped and lost her leash when the pup tried to chase a goose on the lake. After making it back to dry land, Taffy was wrapped in blankets and put in her car to get warm.
"We would like to commend Ptl. Centrone for his quick actions and proving it's important to help out all in need, even canines!" the department said.
Last month, body camera video captured the moment officers in Easttown Township, Pennsylvania walked across an icy pond to rescue two black labs that fell into the water. In that case, officers were able to use a ladder and pole to pull the dogs out without breaking the ice.
