Good Golly, Miss Molly!
A small pink-colored poodle named Molly was rescued from the Passaic River in New Jersey by local police after the pup escaped from its owner and plunged into the frigid waters Monday afternoon.
The hours-long search and rescue began around 11 a.m. when police were notified that the 7-pound pup broke free from her Aster Lane home and ran across a busy roadway before strolling up and down the riverbanks, according to the Garfield Police Department, which shared the story on Instagram.
But Molly, despite multiple attempts by responding officers, did not want to be caught.
“After searching, they eventually located the pink poodle but faced difficulties in capturing the dog, as Molly eluded them several times on the riverbank,” police said.
“The chase ended when the dog fled toward the riverbank near River Drive and Kipp Avenue.”
That’s when the dyed pooch jumped into the bitter waterway and started paddling toward a tiny island between Garfield and Clifton near Dundee Lake, police said.
After calling in reinforcements from the Clifton and Garfield fire departments, officials deployed boats and specialized equipment to locate Molly — cold but otherwise unharmed — on the island around 6:38 p.m.
Molly was reunited with her relieved owners, who believe the pink coloring helped police locate their furry companion.
“The color did help, it’s a plant-based vegan pet dye,” Molly’s owner Sandra Caltradone told ABC 7 News.
“A huge thank you to the Garfield police station, the rescue team that went beyond.”
