Matilda the golden retriever has always been full of curiosity and courage — but recently, her adventurous spirit led her on a wild, unexpected journey.
One sunny afternoon, Matilda was riding in the car with her mom, cruising over the Muscoot Reservoir in New York. The windows were rolled down, the breeze was perfect — and in true golden retriever fashion, Matilda couldn’t resist sticking her head out to enjoy the view.
But then, in a split second, curiosity got the best of her.
Before her mom could react, Matilda jumped right out of the moving car — plunging nearly 25 feet off the overpass and into the reservoir below.
Her mom’s heart stopped. She pulled over immediately and called for help, praying her beloved dog was still alive.
Down below, Matilda had landed safely in the water and paddled to a tiny, tree-covered island in the middle of the reservoir. Shaken but unhurt, she waited patiently, tail wagging faintly, as help arrived.
Within minutes, the Katonah Fire Department (KFD) responded to the unusual call. Ten firefighters raced to the scene, carrying an inflatable boat down to the water’s edge.
They launched the boat and carefully rowed across to the little island, where they finally spotted Matilda sitting among the bright green leaves — tired, wet, but still very much herself.
“Once the responders got to her, she was very cooperative and had no issue being picked up and brought into the boat,” a KFD spokesperson told The Dodo.
Incredibly, Matilda didn’t have a single injury — just a soggy coat and a big story to tell.
Firefighters gently lifted her into the boat and ferried her back across the reservoir, where her mom was waiting with open arms and tears of relief.
“It’s not often KFD gets a call like this,” the representative said. “Everyone was very happy with how quickly we were able to reach Matilda and get her back safely to her owner.”
After her daring leap, Matilda has officially retired from car-window adventures — but she’ll forever be known as the golden retriever who turned a terrifying fall into a heroic rescue story.
