Much of the US is currently experiencing sub-zero temperatures right now – including Massachusetts, where a local lake was completely frozen over. But when this dog stepped onto the ice, it quickly collapsed!

One family experienced a nightmare on Tuesday evening when their four-legged friend, Rufus, broke through a hole in the thin ice.

A local resident witnessed the incident and quickly alerted the police.

Drone footage shared by the Maynard Police Department on Instagram shows that emergency services arrived swiftly and didn't hesitate for a minute.

They immediately jumped into the icy water to help the furry friend – there was no time to lose! Rufus was in danger of hypothermia after having already spent some time in the cold water.

The dog was eagerly waiting to be rescued and swam towards the emergency workers without hesitation – two firefighters then tried to pull the dog out of the icy lake.

After around ten minutes, they managed to bring the animal safely ashore so that he could be held in his family's arms again a short time later.

"A pet falling through the water, in these freezing conditions, is any pet owner's worst nightmare," said the local fire department spokeswoman, per NBC Boston.

Thankfully, Rufus survived the accident without serious injury and has been safely reunited with his family.