Last month, hairstylist Summer Brown thought she was having a typical day at The Ritual salon in Morgan Hill, California, when a client rushed in with urgent news: a small dog was running loose across the street and looked lost.
Wasting no time, Brown went outside to check. She spotted the tiny dog near a canal, but the moment she tried to approach, the frightened pup slipped and fell into the water.
“It was a steep drop, and the second she hit the water, she started panicking,” Brown told The Dodo. “You could see she couldn’t swim very well — her paws were flailing above the water.”
Without hesitation, Brown jumped in. The water was deep and likely dirty, but she didn’t think twice. “I just ran,” she said. “I didn’t even think about it. The only thing I took off were my white tennis shoes.”
Brown swam over and scooped the terrified dog into her arms. Immediately, the pup sensed she was safe and calmed down. “As soon as I grabbed her, she just relaxed into my arms,” Brown said.
She carried the dog to the canal’s edge, wrapped her in salon towels, and brought her inside. To warm the soaked, shivering pup, Brown had her sit under a client’s heater — a clever solution that helped the little dog regain some comfort.
Thankfully, the dog had a collar with a phone number. Brown quickly contacted the owners, who revealed that the dog, named Daisy, had escaped from her home earlier that day. Daisy’s family rushed to the salon, overjoyed to be reunited with their adventurous pup. Hugs, kisses, and wagging tails followed as Daisy returned to her family.
“As soon as she warmed up and saw her family, she was completely back to herself,” Brown said.
After ensuring Daisy was safe, Brown returned to her salon duties, but her fearless rescue quickly became the talk of the day — and of the salon — for weeks afterward.