A rugby player from Co Down, in Northern Ireland, leaped into freezing seawater to rescue a drowning Labrador last month, likely saving the dog’s life. The dog’s owner says they are grateful, and the “dog is fine now.” When Paddy Bond was visiting some friends near Bangor’s Long Hole, he saw a crowd gathering near the water’s edge. When he looked closer, he saw a dog in the water, tangled in the mooring ropes. “When I looked closer I noticed they were all looking at a dog,” he told Belfast Live on Nov. 30, the day after the rescue. “I ran down to get a closer look.” As he drew closer, he heard a dog yelping in distress. (Courtesy of Jana Kukuckova Images) “I noticed it was stuck,” he said. “I just thought, ‘Well, I’m not letting him stay out there.’” Paddy didn’t hesitate. He stripped down to his boxers and swam to …