Sparta Officer's Heroic Rescue Saves Dog from Icy Lake Mohawk

On January 2, 2026, a dramatic rescue unfolded on Lake Mohawk in Sparta, New Jersey, when Sparta Police Patrolman Michael Poon crawled across dangerously thin ice to save a drowning dog.

 

According to reports, a neighbor spotted two loose dogs wandering onto the frozen lake before one - Sunkiss, a 10-year-old Labrador - fell through the ice.

 

Body-camera footage shows Poon inching across the surface before sliding into the frigid water to guide the struggling dog back to safety.

 

Sunkiss and her companion, Bruno, a 4-year-old dog, had escaped their yard after finding a weak point in the electric fence, their owner Chance Dobbs later explained.

 

Dobbs, who was home at the time, said Sunkiss is known for her adventurous streak and has even taught Bruno how to slip away.

 

Both dogs were unharmed and reunited with their relieved owner shortly after the rescue.

 

Authorities used the incident as a reminder for residents to exercise extreme caution around frozen lakes and ponds, noting that ice conditions can change rapidly and pose serious risks to both people and pets during winter months.