In a small village named Kuligów in central Poland, an adventurous little puppy named Ryszard found himself in a big, unexpected adventure. Ryszard, an 8-month-old pup, along with his seven siblings, embarked on an escape from their home near the Bug River. However, their adventure quickly turned into a dangerous situation when the river began to flood due to an ice jam breaking.
As the water rushed towards them, six of the puppies managed to swim to safety, but Ryszard wasn’t so lucky. He ended up stranded on a small island in the middle of the now swollen river. This island became his home for almost a week. Imagine being all alone in such a scary place, without any food, warmth, or your family. Ryszard was cold, hungry, and exhausted, howling for someone to help him.
The Bug River and its surroundings experienced the worst flooding they had seen in over ten years. The situation was dire, and even local firefighters tried to rescue Ryszard. But the river was too dangerous for them to reach him. The water was flowing fast, filled with ice and debris, making any rescue attempt extremely risky.
Then, after five long days, hope arrived from an unexpected place. A team of maritime specialists, sea rescuers from Kołobrzeg—a city on Poland’s northern Baltic coast—heard about Ryszard’s plight. They decided to embark on a massive journey to save him. These heroes traveled 700 kilometers (about 435 miles) across Poland to reach the little island where Ryszard was stuck.
Their effort was not in vain. The team successfully rescued Ryszard, bringing him to safety after his terrifying ordeal. It was a challenging mission, but the rescuers believed that saving Ryszard was worth every bit of the effort. As one of the rescuers, Paweł Depta, said, traveling the 1,400 kilometers (roundtrip) was entirely worthwhile.
Ryszard and his siblings are now under the care of a foundation that is helping them recover from their adventure. They’re getting lots of love and the care they need to bounce back. Videos of Ryszard’s recovery show him getting better, a testament to the resilience of our furry friends and the kindness of humans who go to great lengths to help them.
