Man's best friend proved his worth again this week after a loyal dog jumped into freezing water after his drowning owner.
The dog, a Japanese Akita, leapt into the freezing water of the Methil Docks in Fife, Scotland, Monday morning, according to the Deadline News. The temperature at the time--just after 5 a.m.--was hovering around freezing.
A water rescue team from Glenrothes used a sled and ladder to pull them out of the water, according to STV Edinburgh. Fire teams from Methil also helped with the rescue.
Sources told the Deadline News that while the circumstances surrounding the morning rescue remained somewhat unclear, they "believe it was an attempted suicide – it looks like the dog tried to stop it.”
Both dog and man were brought to safety, according to a Fife Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman, who confirmed that the man went into the water first, and the dog jumped in after.
The heroic dog is actually part of a breed known for its aggression, according to the Akita Club of America. In fact, in 2009 the New York City Housing Authority banned the breed from its housing projects, along with other breeds, such as pit bulls and English mastiffs.
While the New Scientist reports that dogs themselves do not commit suicide in the same way people do, there are many documented cases of dogs trying to save their owners.
In September, various outlets reported on a dog that died saving its reportedly suicidal owner from an oncoming train. According to Yahoo, the man passed out on train tracks in Kazakhstan after drinking a bottle of liquor. When his dog saw the approaching train, it tried to drag his owner to safety.