In the middle of the lake there was a young deer that was struggling to get back to shore. The hero dog went to the rescue, and after reaching the stranded animal he began guiding the fawn to dry land.
Ralph Dorn was searching for his dog Harley earlier this month when he looked across the waters of Lake Martin in Tallapoosa County, Alabama. Harley was swimming in the water, but something seemed off about the situation: Harley wasn't alone.
There was a young deer with him in the water, begging for help and struggling to swim. To Dorn's surprise, Harley wasn't trying to play with the fawn, she was trying to save her life.
When Halley led the deer to the coast, Dorn approached him. If it had not been for the dog, the buck would have drowned there alone.
Fortunately, the fawn's mother was nearby, and they were reunited after Harley brought the baby back to shore. When Harley pulled her out of the water, he began licking her clean, and then her mother quickly joined the deer.
The brave dog was full of sympathy for the deer, and the deer breathed a sigh of relief at its safety.
“I'm not sure how the buck got there, but Harley certainly didn't ask why,” Dorn said after the event on Facebook. “He just got down to business.”
Dorn realized Haley was becoming agitated the next day, so he let the dog out. To Dorn's surprise, Harley didn't just need to use the bathroom or want to explore. When Harley heard the little fawn screaming again, it didn't take long for him to run back to his new friend.
The two sniffed at each other, wagging their tails, and reminded each other of the exciting rescue. The fawn appeared to be in good health, and her mother was nearby.
"This morning Harley became agitated and ran from window to window," Dorn explained. “As soon as I opened the front door, we heard the fawn bleating. Harley rushed into the woods and discovered the fawn. Harley quietly returned home with me as soon as the little one stopped bleating and wagging his tail. They touched their noses and sniffed each other.
Dorn's Facebook post about the incredible rescue has since gone viral, with nearly 250,000 shares. People were touched by Harley's sweet bond with the fawn after the rescue and couldn't get enough of the adorable photos.
Dorn was amazed at how quickly news of the rescue spread, but knowing his sweet dog, he wasn't surprised by the situation. It's unclear whether Harley will see the fawn again, but one thing is certain: the deer and her mother were grateful for Harley's quick thinking.
“We had no idea what response Harley was going to get,” Dorn said at the rescue center. "He's a miracle dog!"