In the middle of the lake was a little baby deer that was struggling to get back to the shore. The hero dog had gone to rescue it, and after reaching the stranded animal began guiding the fawn back to dry land.
Ralph Dorn was hunting for his dog, Harley, earlier this month when he gazed out across the waters of Lake Martin in Tallapoosa County, Alabama. Harley was swimming in the water, but something seemed odd about the situation: Harley wasn't alone.
A small deer was in the water with him, begging for aid and straining 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 back to the coast, Dorn approached him. If it hadn't been for the dog, the fawn would have drowned out there on its own. Fortunately, the fawn's mother was nearby, and they were reunited after Harley returned the youngster to shore. When Harley drove her out of the water, he began to lick her clean, and then her mother soon joined the deer.
The brave dog was full of sympathy for the deer, and the deer breathed a sigh of relief because of his safety. “I'm not sure how the fawn got out there, but Harley certainly didn't ask why,” Dorn said after the event on Facebook. “He just sprang into action.”
Dorn realized that Halley had become restless the next day, so he let the dog out. Harley, much to Dorn's surprise, didn't just need to use the restroom or want to go exploring. When Harley heard the small fawn scream out again, it didn't take long for him to return to his newfound friend. The two sniffed each other, wagging their tails, and recalled each other from the dramatic rescue. The fawn appeared to be in good health, and her mother was nearby.
“This morning Harley became restless and ran from window to window,” Dorn explained. “As soon as I opened the front door, we could hear the fawn bleating. Harley dashed into the woods and discovered the fawn. Harley came quietly back to the house with me once the tiny one stopped bleating and wagging his tail. They touched noses and sniffed each other. Dorn's Facebook post about the amazing rescue has since gone viral, with nearly 250,000 shares. People were moved by Harley's lovely bond with the fawn after the rescue and couldn't get enough of the adorable photos.
Dorn was startled by how quickly word of the rescue spread, but knowing his sweet-natured dog, he wasn't astonished by the situation. It's unclear whether Harley will ever 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 the response Harley would get,” Dorn said in the rescue post. “He's a miracle dog!”