Indiana Firefighters Rescue Dog from Icy River: See the Photos

Firefighters rescued the pooch from the St. Joseph River in South Bend

• Firefighters in South Bend, Indiana, rescued a dog from ice-filled water in the St. Joseph River

• After chasing down geese during a walk, the dog became stuck in the frigid water and was unable to get himself to shore

• The dog, named Oliver, has been returned home to his family

Indiana firefighters are to thank for a rescue that saved a dog from an unintended polar plunge.

The incident, which occurred on Thursday near the 500 block of Riverside Drive in downtown South Bend, per local outlet WSBT 22, saw several firefighters on the scene wading through ice-filled water in the St. Joseph River to help pull a dog from its icy depths.

"Swiftwater Specialist Tague enters the St Joseph River and saves a dog today!" a Facebook post from the South Bend Fire Department said. "The South Bend Fire Departments Swiftwater Team responds to multiple calls each year on the river. Remember to always have a friend nearby when out and about along the mighty St Joe River."

A subsequent Facebook post from the department included a video of the rescue and identified the dog as Oliver. "Animals are our family & when a service call comes in for pets, we respond with the same urgency!" the caption read. "Great job from our South Bend Fire Department Swiftwater Team members in rescuing Oliver from the freezing waters of the St Joe River."

PEOPLE reached out to the South Bend Fire Department for comment, but they did not immediately respond.

Dozens of users underneath both Facebook posts thanked and commended the officers for their rescue efforts.

According to local outlet ABC57, Oliver's owner, who did not give their name, was out for a walk with the pup when he became fixated on some nearby geese. While chasing down the geese, Oliver became stuck in the frigid water and was unable to get himself to shore.

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After being rescued, Oliver was returned home to his family, per ABC57.

A similar situation happened in December when the Duluth Minnesota Fire Department dispatched several marine units to rescue a dog that had jumped into the frigid waters of Lake Superior. After navigating the lake's "extreme cold water and ice" along with its heavy waves, divers were able to bring the dog to shore where it recovered from exhaustion and "exposure" to the cold, showing "marked signs of improvement."

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