It’s common to see dogs barking at delivery drivers or chasing after mail trucks, leading to the stereotype that pets and postal workers don’t always get along.
But in many cases, these drivers form strong bonds with the animals they encounter. Some go above and beyond their usual duties to protect and care for needy pets.
That’s exactly what happened when Ryan Ahrens, a UPS driver from Bozeman, Montana, found himself in a life-or-death situation on his delivery route just before Christmas last year.
While driving past a pond to drop off a package, he heard desperate cries from a distressed dog.
“The dog was howling and whining frantically,” Ryan recalled in an interview with the Great Falls Tribune.
He spotted the dog trapped about 10 to 15 feet from the shore, surrounded by ice. Without a second thought, Ryan sprang into action, realizing he couldn’t wait for help.
“I knew I had to do something,” he said. When he arrived at the scene, he saw a man struggling to reach the dog using a rowboat. The man’s efforts were unsuccessful, and Ryan decided to take matters into his own hands.
Ryan carefully maneuvered across the ice using the rowboat to distribute his weight. However, the ice suddenly gave way beneath him, and he plunged into the freezing water. Despite the freezing temperatures, Ryan pushed forward and swam toward the dog.
Thanks to his quick thinking, Ryan successfully rescued the dog, Sadie, just in time. “She was about to sink,” Ryan said. “I didn’t even have time to think — I just knew I had to act.”
The vet later told Ryan that if Sadie’s temperature had dropped just a few more degrees, she wouldn’t have survived. Ryan’s timing was nothing short of perfect.
After bringing Sadie back to a nearby home to warm up, Ryan received recognition for his heroic actions. PETA honored him with the Compassionate Action Award, but Ryan humbly downplayed his hero status.
“I’m just an animal lover doing what anyone in my situation would have done,” he wrote in a Facebook post about the incident.
Having owned a Malamute for 15 years, Ryan has always loved animals deeply. “Animals have always had a place in my heart,” he shared with the Great Falls Tribune. “This was one of the highlights of my 14 years at UPS.”
Today, Sadie is happy and healthy, a reminder of how one man’s selflessness helped save her life. Ryan is just grateful that he decided to act when he did. “She’s a sweetheart,” he said, reflecting on the rescue.
Let’s take a moment to thank Ryan for his bravery and compassion in saving Sadie’s life.
Read more Dogs News.