A police officer in Atlantic City, New Jersey, is being praised for his bravery after diving into chilly bay waters to save an injured dog earlier this month.

Officer Matt Schmidt was among those called to the scene on Oct. 15, after reports of a tan and white pit bull that appeared to have been abandoned and was walking with a limp, according to police.

When the dog evaded animal control officers by leaping into the bay, Schmidt made a split-second decision to follow it into the cold water.

"I was like, 'OK, it's struggling, the current's strong, it's getting weighted down, and it's just going to tire out,'" Schmidt told CBS News Philadelphia. "I just felt like, clearly, a boat is not going to get here in time. So this is not a choice. I have to go if I want this dog to live."

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