A dog and the animal control officer who saved him survived the cold waters off Woodbridge without injury.
WOODBRIDGE -- Austin Clyburn has a special bond with a Corgi-mix that now calls the Woodbridge Animal Shelter home--he saved the animal from the cold waters of the Arthur Kill Monday morning.
Clyburn and Sue Schaefer, both animal control officers for the township, were called to Alvin Williams Park in Sewaren shortly before 9 a.m. Monday by a 9-1-1 call about a dog running at large in the park.
Heather Campione, the township's supervisor of animal control, said the caller reported the dog had a collar and a leash.
She said a good Samaritan attempted to catch the dog, but was unable to.
By the time Clyburn and Schaefer arrived, the dog had run into a marshy, high-brush area near the marina. They searched the brush, along with Woodbridge police Officer Stephanie Anderson, who is also an animal control officer. They found the dog, who by then had made his way into the cold Arthur Kill.
"The officers attempted to call the dog out," Campione said. "The dog initially swam towards them, but abruptly turned around and began to swim further out."
Then the dog began to lose strength and flipped over, Campione said.
Clyburn jumped into action, and into the water.
"As soon as I saw it flip, I had to go in," Clyburn said. "I knew it was going to die."
He managed to grab the dog and swim him back to shore, where they both spent time in hospitals--Clyburn at JFK Medical Center in Edison and the dog at the Woodbridge Veterinary Group.
"They both spent the same amount of time there--six hours," Campione laughed. "They were released at the same time and came back here."
She said there is no way of tracing an owner since the dog had no license or identifying chip.
Campione said the dog "is very sweet, a Mr. Potato Head kind of dog, very calm."
The veterinarians said the dogis about eight years old.
Campione said the shelter must wait seven days to see if the owner steps forward.
If the owner doesn't come forward, after the seven day waiting period, he will be neutered and have a chip placed under it's skin for identification purposes. Then the dog will be placed up for adoption.
Campione said she doesn't know why the dog was out there, but she said the township dog park is there and "we do get many unwanted dogs tied up out there by the park. Many times they just stay there until they are found. Others get free and run around."
The Woodbridge Animal Shelter and Pet Adoption Center is at 195 Woodbridge Avenue in Sewaren. The phone number is (732) 855-0600 x5007
Sue Epstein may be reached at sepstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @susan_epstein. Find NJ.com on Facebook.