A sodden dog was rescued by the Tauranga SPCA and First Security on Friday.
Helen Kensington was eating her lunch when she noticed the dog in trouble in the water off near the Strand. She noticed a younger dog swimming backwards and forwards to the older animal as it struggled to stay above water, visibly losing strength.
"The older one was just swimming backwards and forwards," Ms Kensington said. "Its head kept going under the water," she said.
"It was strange, and scary and frustrating."
The dog had attracted interest, with tourists trying to help and the younger dog trying to get back to its mate.
After the dog had been in the water for almost half an hour, Ms Kensington asked a passerby to call the council.
The SPCA and First Security were notified, and were finally able to help the tired dog. "It had a mind of its own," Ms Kensington said.
They managed to gently bring up the exhausted dog to land, after it had spent approximately an hour swimming, Ms Kensington said.
The old dog's younger friend was happy to see it on dry land, she said.