Man is a dog’s best friend: Hero saves drowning animal from flooded river (and comes close to toppling in himself)

The pet was spotted in the debris strewn waters of the river in Zenica

Dog swam to the side of the bank where a man grabbed it by its neck



Bosnia and Serbia have been hit by the heaviest rain in the past 120 years



A dog was saved by a kind-hearted passersby after it became stuck in a swollen river in flood-hit Bosnia.

The pet was spotted splashing about in the debris strewn waters of the river in Zenica on Thursday.

Two men quickly attempted to usher the dog towards the side of a bank as the dog struggled over mounds of rubbish.

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Rescue: A man balances precariously on the side of the river bank and tries to rescue the dog

The desperate dog slowly swam to the side where a man grabbed the animal by the scruff of his neck and hoisted him, with the help of another passerby, out of the water.

In the past week, Bosnia and Serbia have been hit by the heaviest rain and floods in the past 120 years with the governments declaring a state of emergency in many towns and cities.

Overflowing rivers have burst into towns and villages, cutting off whole communities, while landslides have buried houses.



At least three people have drowned.

Holding on tight: The rescuer reaches out to grab the pet with the help of some other passers-by

The pet was spotted splashing about in the debris strewn waters of the river in Zenica on Thursday

The hero reaches out to grab the dog and nearly comes close to falling in himself

In the past week, Bosnia and Serbia have been hit by the heaviest rain and floods in the past 120 years

Army helicopters have been sent to evacuate thousands of stranded residents but reports say bad weather is hampering the rescue efforts.

In Bosnia, army helicopters have been trying to rescue residents, some of whom have been sitting on their roofs waiting for help.



But reports say strong wind and rain may be hampering the efforts.

The desperate dog slowly swam to the side where a man grabbed the animal by the scruff of his neck and hoisted him, with the help of another passerby, out of the water

Gotcha: The men grab the dog by the scruff of the neck from the swollen river in flood-hit Bosnia

A dog is saved by the men after it became stuck in a swollen river in flood-hit Bosnia

Saved: The men successfully pull the dog to safety and onto the bank of the river

'We had to abort the mission because of the rainfall and winds. The weather is horrible and the helicopter has its limits,' said rescue pilot Fahrudin Memic.



'This is the most difficult mission I have ever participated in.'



Thousands of homes are without electricity.