September 14, 2007: Michgan surfer rescues dog

[Undertoad]

It was a rough surf on Lake Michigan on Tuesday afternoon, and there were a lot of strong currents going... so rough that the surfers were a little anxious about the water.

But that didn't deter the man and his old dog from walking down the pier together, as they always did when the waves got big. The dog loved to walk the pier when the lake was rough... he'd go off-lead, bark at the waves, and then retreat when the water crashed up onto the pier.

This time the waves were a little bigger, though, and then a particularly big wave hit at the wrong moment. It even took the man off his feet; the dog missed his chance to run back, and as the water rolled off the pier it carried the dog with it, right into the lake.

Surfer Matt Smolenski (right) saw what was happening. He had seen the dog before, barking at the waves on the pier. With the owner desperately screaming for the dog from the pier, Smolenski didn't hesitate; he told his fellow surfer Joe Riopelle (left) that he was going in for that dog.

Smolenski set out on his board, on his stomach, and got past the waves to reach the dog just as it reached exhaustion and had stopped dog-paddling. He grabbed the dog by the collar, put him up on the surfboard, and Smolenski and Riopelle helped the dog surf in to shore.

And the owner thanked them with a high-five and a "Thank you, brother!"; and then man and dog left so fast, nobody could get their names.