Dog joins swimming team members to rescue 10-year-old boy drowning in river in China

Swim team members and dog rescue 10-year-old boy from drowning in river in China

An unlikely hero came to the rescue when a 10-year-old boy in Chongqing, China fell into the river while playing and was dragged by the current.

According to reports, a local winter swimming and diving team was nearby when the boy cried for help.

One person alerted the team into action and several members of the team leapt in, headed by the one member nicknamed ‘Old Goat‘ who was carrying a life preserver ring in one hand while swimming.

Unexpectedly, a border collie also quickly leapt into the river with the men and swam alongside them towards the drowning child, surprising a watcher who was filming the incident.

“Even the dog has joined the rescue,” the person exclaimed.

Local news reported that the four swimming team members and the dog swam around 20 metres through the river before making it to the boy and securing him.

The distance and turbulent current made the swim difficult, but the rescuers had substantial swimming experience to overcome them.

Helpful dog belonged to one of the swimmers

As it turned out, the helpful border collie belonged to ‘Old Goat’ and was named Lai Bao. She was described as very adept at swimming and so followed her owner into the river without a second thought.

Her owner only noticed the dog when he was swimming back across the river after reaching the boy. He told local reporters that he felt both scared for her and touched by her loyalty during the rescue.

“She contributed to the rescue too. Afterwards, I praised her as a ‘hero mum’,” he said.

He also rewarded Lai Bao with a chicken drumstick.

Even ‘Old Goat’s’ nine-year-old son also reportedly wanted to go into the river with his father, but the other members of the swimming team quickly stopped him.

The swim team reportedly became a volunteer rescue team three years ago and had allegedly saved 26 people from drowning this year alone.

Both the helpful swim team members and Lai Bao got much adulation online for their good deeds.

Also read: Pet dog in US runs more than 6km to get help for owner after his truck plunges into ravine

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Featured image adapted from 重庆广电第1眼 on Weibo.