A New York man and his dog are being credited for rescuing an exhausted fawn floating in Long Island Sound not just once, but twice.
Mark Freeley was walking with his two dogs Sunday morning when he came across the baby deer floating in the chilly waters off the New York coast.
READ MORE: Nova Scotia town overrun with deer, officials considering options
Freeley began recording as his English golden retriever, Storm, ran into the water to fetch the animal.
“Storm just plunged into the water and started swimming out to the fawn, grabbed it by the neck, and started swimming to shore,” Freeley told CBS2.
The video captured the weakened deer begin to run away after being brought to shore but collapsed as Storm followed it.
WATCH: Dog owner describes watching canine pull exhausted deer from Long Island waters
“He started nudging it with his nose and started pulling it to make sure she was gonna be OK,” Freeley said.
As Freeley called animal experts to retrieve the fawn, the young deer became spooked and darted back into the water.
“This time it went out even further,” Freeley said.
READ MORE: B.C. SPCA manager allegedly fired for misleading conservation officer
Freeley and a representative from Strong Island Animal Rescue waded into the water to save the confused fawn a second time.
The men used a rope to reach the deer and pull it back into the shore.
The deer was transported to an animal care shelter where it is recovering.
The deer was reported to be covered in ticks and suffering from an eye injury.