PHOTOS – Man Saves Elderly Dog from Drowning in Creek: ‘Good People in This World’

A little dog that found himself in a dangerous situation on Friday is safe, thanks to a man in Tonawanda, New York.

When the Jack Russell terrier, named Rufus, fell into Ellicott Creek, Jim Skoney said he became nervous, WGRZ reported Saturday.

The man told the outlet, “I took off my glasses and my watch, and I flopped down on the embankment. He turned his head, and he started paddling back, and you could clearly see he did not have enough strength to get up the bank.”

“So then he went under another time, and I reached over and reached out as far as I could and grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and pulled him up,” he added.

As the dog shook violently, Skoney rubbed him and told him to hang on until he could find help.

In a social media post, the SPCA Serving Erie County, NY, explained Skoney wrapped the pup in his coat and turned on his car’s heater.

“Jim knew he needed to get the dog to a veterinarian quickly. After an area veterinary clinic refused treatment because there was no owner to pay veterinary bills, Jim brought the dog to the SPCA Serving Erie County to ensure he survived,” the organization stated:

Once the owner, Joe, was located, he told the SPCA the recent blizzard knocked down his fence, and he patched a hole with wood to keep the dog from running away.

“Unknowingly, the wood fell. Rufus, who is 18 ½ years old, deaf, and blind, somehow slipped out of the opening and eventually found his way to the creek,” the organization said, adding Rufus is now safe, thanks to a local hero.

Jack Russell Terriers are described as fearless and tenacious, according to Pet Finder.

Meanwhile, social media users praised Skoney for taking action to save the dog, one person writing, “Reassures us that there are really Good people in this world!!!”

“Thank you Jim for your caring heart and soul,” another commented.