• Chris MacRitchie performed a daring rescue of a dog struggling in the icy waters of the Winooski River.
• The incident, captured on video by his son, occurred as the family was passing a Dunkin' Donuts.
• The dog's owner was overwhelmed with gratitude upon learning about the rescue and reuniting with her pet.
• MacRitchie described the choice to jump into the frigid water as an obligation, being a dog owner himself.
• The dog, named Arizona, is currently recovering after being rescued from the river.

In a remarkable display of bravery, a Vermont man, Chris MacRitchie, jumped into the frigid waters of the Winooski River to rescue a dog that was struggling to stay afloat. The extraordinary events unfolded on a Friday afternoon in Berlin, Vermont, when MacRitchie and his family noticed the distressed animal while going through the Dunkin' Donuts drive-thru. His son captured the entire rescue on video, which has since been widely shared on social media platforms.

“It was one of those moments where you have to make a decision,” MacRitchie recounted. “I felt I was obligated to at least try to fetch this dog out of the river, as I have two dogs myself, and I would hope someone would do that for them if they were in that spot.” MacRitchie, dressed in a T-shirt and sweatpants, clambered down the embankment and into the icy water, where he waded approximately 20 feet to reach the struggling canine.

The video depicts MacRitchie calling out to the dog while his wife, Erica, encouraged him from the shore. Despite the biting cold, MacRitchie's primary worry was the depth of the water. “I didn’t know if it was 20 feet or 2 feet,” he said, expressing relief when he discovered the water was waist-high. On pulling the shivering dog, later identified as Arizona, to safety, his wife wrapped it in a sweatshirt to warm it up.

After the rescue, MacRitchie contacted the dog's owner, Morgan Cerasoli, using the information on the dog's tag. Cerasoli, who had been searching for the seven-year-old mutt since Thursday, was overwhelmed with emotion upon learning her beloved pet had been saved. “I started crying, and I told him, ‘Oh my God, I love you,’” Cerasoli expressed during an interview, describing the experience as both *brave* and *selfless*.

The touching rescue drew praise from onlookers and highlighted the compassion and bravery that individuals can offer in dire situations. Arizona, now on the road to recovery, serves as a reminder of the unbreakable bond between pets and their owners. Cerasoli noted, “It’s everything we’re meant to be on this Earth.” For further details, you can read the full stories from AP News and India Times.