Helicopter crew rescues shivering goldendoodle from Seneca River near Syracuse

Cooper, a goldendoodle, was pulled from the Seneca River near Overlook Drive in the Town of Van Buren after a 911 caller spotted him in the water and considered jumping in to help. Dispatchers told the caller not to enter the river, and the Onondaga County Sheriff’s Office sent its Air One helicopter to the scene.

The rescue unfolded around 6:15 p.m. on Monday, March 23, 2026, near Baldwinsville. Air One was already on patrol and reached the riverbank about one minute after the call. The operation was a skid rescue that took about six minutes from the first report to Cooper being brought aboard.

Deputy Levi Taylor pulled Cooper into the helicopter while Sgt. Jim Farley flew the aircraft. Cooper was extremely cold, continuously shivering and in deteriorating condition as he struggled to stay afloat in the frigid water. After the pickup, the crew flew him to ball fields on Downer Street Road, where Baldwinsville Fire Department personnel warmed him with blankets.

Cooper had no lasting injuries and was in good health after being reunited with his owner. The owner had posted him missing on Facebook earlier that day, before the rescue call came in from the Baldwinsville area.

Sheriff Toby Shelley credited the 911 dispatchers, flight crew and firefighters for making the rescue possible. PETA sent praise for the crew’s bravery, kindness and determination. The same Onondaga County helicopter team had also recently helped save two men and a dog from an icy marsh earlier in March.