WATCH: Goldendoodle Saved From Central New York River By Helicopter

Central New York first responders acted quickly after receiving a call early this week about a dog seen swimming in the Seneca River.

Onondaga County Sheriff's Office Responds to Dog in Distress

On Monday March 23rd, 2026, the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office reported that 911 was dispatched to "a call regarding a dog observed swimming in the middle of the Seneca River."

The Onondaga County Sheriff's Office was "conducting a patrol flight at the time" and their helicopter, Air1, responded and arrived "approximately one minute later."

Talk about right place, right time!

Helicopter Crew Rescues Dog in Seneca River

In a statement released to social media the Onondaga County Sheriff's Office details the rescue operation.

They explain that as they arrived on the scene the saw "a Goldendoodle struggling to stay afloat in the middle of the river."  At this point, first responders decided to "perform a skid rescue."

According to aviation website Fear of Landing a skid rescue is:

a high-stakes, specialized maneuver where a pilot lands only one skid—or touches both "toes" of the skids—onto uneven, steep, or confined terrain while keeping the helicopter hovering.

A pilot in the Air1 flight crew "conducted a skid walk to the rear of the helicopter, secured himself to the aircraft, and directed the pilot to the dog."

The 911 call came in at 6:09 pm and the Air1 crew was able to successfully pull the dog from the river into the helicopter at approximately 6:15 pm.

You can watch the incredible rescue below:

When the dog was rescued they "appeared to be extremely cold, as it was continuously shivering."

If you have more footage from the rescue the Onondaga Sheriff's Office asks for you to send it to them at to OCSOPIO@ongov.net.

Patterson, NY First Responders Save Dog Near Waterfall

While we're on the topic of impressive dog rescues in New York...

Back on March 8th, the Patterson Fire Department was dispatched to a situation near a waterfall inside the Michael Ciaiola Conservation Area.

A 14-month old puppy had fallen 15-feet near a rushing waterfall and was stranded on a rock shelf. Due to the terrain and the snow, specialty vehicles were needed to access the area.

READ MORE: K9 Rescued After Falling 15 Feet Near Patterson, NY Waterfall

Thankfully, the Patterson Fire Department was able rope down the cliff and get the pup, named Rudy, to safety.