When he first spotted a figure in the distance, the dog owner thought it was a person standing in the river.
Then he noticed they were holding his dog, who had jumped in to have a swim just moments before.
It quickly dawned on him that he was dealing with an extremely rare and frightening scenario - It wasn't a human, it was a kangaroo - waist deep in water, holding onto his dog with both paws!
Kangaroo attack
The devoted owner didn't hesitate, immediately rushing into the water. He approached the kangaroo and punched it, presumably hoping to surprise him into releasing the dog.
But in a surprising turn of events, the marsupial retaliated, and with its impressive size and strength, the situation became quite dangerous.
Online outrage
The footage sparked a wave of online comments, not only about the dog owner's behaviour but also about the kangaroo's unusual conduct.
Some internet users suspect the kangaroo was acting in self-defence, not intending to actually drown the dog, but rather hoping to prevent an attack.
Others suggested that kangaroos often feel threatened by dogs, as they associate them with dingoes.
Thankfully on this occasion, no long-term harm was done and the dog escaped to the safety of the shore.
