By 3 News online staff
A dog trapped in a sinking car and left for dead has astounded his owner by escaping and finding his own way home.
Debbie McGowan had been attempting to cross the Akatarawa River, near Upper Hutt, yesterday afternoon when her four-wheel drive got stuck.
She was rescued by firefighters, but Zeus, a staffordshire bull terrier, refused to leave.
"When they rescued me, Zeus was just howling," Ms McGowan told Fairfax. "They were risking their lives trying to save me so I couldn't say that I wouldn't come with them if they didn’t take the dog."
She says she felt "completely horrible" leaving the dog behind, and held out little hope he'd survive the ordeal.
But last night he came home, soggy but otherwise fine.
"I had just given him up for dead," Ms McGowan told Fairfax. "I thought he would stay in that car, it would get washed down the river and he's going to drown… He was so happy to see me."
3 News