HOBE SOUND, Fla. — A boxer's dip in the ocean took a dangerous turn at Hobe Sound Beach over the weekend.
Buddy, a 1-year-old boxer, was playing in the water on Sunday but somehow ended up three-quarters of a mile offshore, according to the Martin County Sheriff's Office.
"All of a sudden, he just got it in his head and he took off, basically went straight out to sea," said John Cagni, Buddy's owner. "I started panicking because he went out so far so quickly."
Cagni rushed to tell a lifeguard what happened, and they both jumped in the water to rescue Buddy. But they ran into trouble due to a strong current.
"We couldn't see him any longer, and we were fearing the worst," said Cagni.
That's when two Martin County marine deputies stepped in and began to search for the pet.
After several minutes, deputies Michael Joseph and Justin Lundstedt found the exhausted animal and pulled him into their boat, the sheriff's office said.
"They said he was completely gassed when they pulled him in," said Cagni. "I'm very thankful for those guys."
On Tuesday, Buddy was back to his old self, running and playing Frisbee with Cagni.
"He was none worse for the wear," said Cagni. "We were the ones who were all frazzled."
🔽 WATCH BUDDY IN ACTION 🔽