Pink Poodle Rescued From Icy River After Wild Escape—“It Was Like Chasing Cotton Candy”

Molly, a tiny Toy Poodle with bright pink fur, set off a massive rescue response in Garfield, New Jersey, when she wriggled away from her handler on an afternoon walk, racing toward a frigid river that she eventually leapt into. Thankfully, Molly was rescued by local police (thanks in part to her pink hue) — but not before putting them through a wild chase.

Around 4:15 on Monday, the Garfield Police Department received a call that Molly had slipped out of her collar and taken off across a highway to the banks of the Passaic River, ABC 7 reported. “She took off from us for a good hour up and down the riverbank,” a rescuer told ABC 7.

The mission took on new urgency when Molly jumped into the icy river. At one point, the rescue utilized two boats, eight firefighters, and a heat sensing camera. But Molly proved to be a strong swimmer.

“Garfield officers observed from shore as the dog made her way to a small island located between Garfield and Clifton by the Dundee Lake,” the Garfield Police Department shared on Instagram. On the island, a firefighter found a “cold but unharmed” Molly and reunited her with her pet parent.

Molly’s pink fur may have aided the chase

According to Molly’s former pet parent, Sandra Caltradrone, who raised her before giving her to a friend just a few days ago, Molly’s bright tresses were partly responsible for her rescue. Police and firefighters had to keep an eye out for Molly on land and water, and she undoubtedly stuck out from her surroundings more than the average dog. “It was like chasing cotton candy,” one officer told ABC 7.

To be clear, dying a dog’s fur isn’t the right choice for everyone. It happened to help Molly out, but unless your dog’s planning on initiating a high-speed chase, dying fur is purely cosmetic — and if your pup’s not the type to want to sit for a dye session, you shouldn’t force it. Check with your veterinarian before using a new product on your pet.

If you do choose to dye your dog’s fur, celebrity dog groomer Jess Rona has some tips. “Just make sure that the dye you buy is specifically made for dogs,” Rona told Kinship. She adds: “Don’t dye your dog’s face at home. That should be entrusted to professionals.”

The dye used on Molly was entirely safe, her former owner Sandra Caltradrone told ABC 7 — and in her case, it happened to have an unexpected functional purpose. “It’s a plant-based vegan pet dye,” Caltradrone said. And when it comes to the rescue, she believes it may have saved Molly’s life. “The color did help,” she told reporters.