A tiny lost dog found paddling in the frigid East River waters Sunday was just moments from death when it was saved by a group of NYPD Harbor Unit officers — who described their heroic rescue mission as simply “rewarding.”
The tiny Maltese — who has been nicknamed Hudson — was exhausted and swimming in circles for a “while” when help arrived and plucked it onto the safety of the boat, the cops told The Post in an interview Wednesday.
“It seemed relieved,” officer Jenny Driscoll said about her first animal rescue.
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Driscoll and her partners, Joseph Pascone and harbor boat captain Jared DeSalvo, rushed to Hudson’s rescue after an eagle-eyed 911 caller spotted the animal struggling in the water — which registered a bone-chilling 43.7°F Sunday morning.
Hudson, who was nicknamed after the western waterway despite being rescued from the East River, was bobbing just off Pier 15 at the South Street Seaport, which does not have any access points for the pup to get out of the water on her own.
The water was choppy thanks to the stormy weather — and Hudson was only visible among the white water thanks to her bright pink harness.
DeSalvo piloted the boat as close as possible to the pup as it swam in circles to stay above the surface and wedged herself up against a sailboat that was anchored nearby.
“It seemed very tired. When we got close enough to it, you could see it was like slowly pedaling, like it was either too cold or too tired, but it didn’t seem like it was going to last much longer,” said Pascone.
Hudson didn’t make any moves toward the boat, but didn’t try to swim away either: “It was just trying to survive,” explained DeSalvo, a 10-year department veteran.
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Pascone — the tallest of the trio — was the one to lean over the side of the boat, grab Hudson and plop her onto the deck.
“It was just standing there shivering. We dried it off with some paper towels, and wrapped it up in a blanket,” said Pascone.
The trio had little time to spend with the rescued pup. They jetted Hudson back to land and into the hands of the Animal Care Centers of NYC before rushing back out to the open water for their next mission.
“It’s rewarding. Especially that the dog was okay and we were able to get there very quickly and safely,” Driscoll reflected.
How the dog ended up in the water — or how long she had been swimming — is still a mystery.
Hudson’s owner is also still at large. ACC is taking care of the pup in the meantime but has been fielding adoption inquiries since the thrilling rescue story made headlines Sunday — including one from the very same hero who piloted the mission.
“My wife and kids really want the dog … They just think the dog’s very cute,” said DeSalvo, saying that Hudson would get along great with the family’s Boston terrier.
Plus, adopting the very dog he rescued would make for the ultimate happy ending.
“Preservation of life is our highest priority and to be able to help — even if it’s a four-legged friend — is a rewarding experience,” DeSalvo added.
