The surveillance footage, which was released by the Kennesaw Police Department on Monday, captured Tatum’s heroic rescue of her 5-year-old Labrador retriever Remi.
Remi had wandered away from the family home and into an icy pool at a nearby apartment complex on Sunday. The dog quickly began to struggle in the frigid water and appeared to be unable to escape.
Tatum can be seen running towards the pool and diving in head first to save her pet. After several frantic moments, she emerges with Remi bundled up in her arms safe and sound.
Jennie and her husband, Chris, raced to the pool and attempted to free Sid from the ice. Jennie remembers that “Chris was able to break a hole in the ice and pull Sid out but he wasn’t breathing.” Despite their efforts, Sid didn’t make it and died shortly after being pulled from the water.
The Tatums set up a GoFundMe page following their dog’s death in order to raise money for other pet owners who may find themselves in a similar situation. The couple has also created an organization called Paws of War which will provide financial assistance for veterinary services related to military working dogs injured or killed while on duty.
As soon as Jennie pulled Sid out of the water and started to perform CPR, her cellphone rang. It was her boyfriend calling to see if she was okay because he saw on the news that a dog had fallen through the ice at the same park.
“I just thought, ‘Wow. This is really happening.’ And then I started to panic a little bit when reality kicked in and said this poor animal may not make it,” Jennie told WTVF.
When they arrived, vets were able to warm Sid up and determined he was going to be okay – but only after spending two days at the vet hospital.Now that Sid has made a full recovery, Jennie says she’s grateful for her furry friend.”He’s been part of our family for four years so far and we can’t imagine life without him now,” she told WTVF.
The fact that Sid’s owner was willing and able to give him the Heimlich maneuver likely saved his life. If you ever find yourself in a situation where an animal is choking, here are some steps you can take to help:
1) Check if the animal is conscious and breathing. If not, start CPR immediately.
2) Try to determine what object is lodged in the animal’s throat by feeling for it along the length of its body.
3) Apply pressure below the ribcage on both sides of the chest with your palms. This will help expel whatever is obstructing their airway.
