Estonian dam workers rescue a dog from frozen river - then realize it's a wolf

Dam workers in Estonia rescued what they thought was a dog stuck in icy waters on Wednesday, but it turned out to be a very friendly wolf (EUPA)

Dam workers in Estonia rescued what they thought was a dog stuck in icy waters on Wednesday, but it turned out to be a very friendly wolf.

The workers spotted the animal struggling in the waters near the Sindi dam on the Parnu river, and cleared a path through the ice to reach him. They then carried the animal down a large slope and took him to a clinic, where they discovered that he was not a dog, as they previously thought.

The Estonian Union for the Protection of Animals (EUPA) said that the wolf had a low blood pressure when it arrived, which could explain how docile it was to the workers who rescued it, according to the BBC.

During the ride over to the clinic, one of the wolf's rescuers, Rando Kartsepp, said the heavy animal curled right up in his lap.

"He was calm, slept on my legs. When I wanted to stretch them, he raised his head for a moment," he said.

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After making the discovery, the veterinarians decided to put the wolf in a cage, at the risk of the animal becoming more aggressive once its blood pressure picked back up (EUPA)

The veterinarians were reportedly suspicious about the "dog" - but it was a local hunter who was familiar with the region's many wolf species who actually identified him as a one-year-old male wolf.

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After making the discovery, the veterinarians decided to put the wolf in a cage, at the risk of the animal becoming more aggressive once its blood pressure picked back up.

The EUPA paid for the wolf's treatment and were happy to report that the animal was released back into the wild with a tracking device the next day, and seemed to be doing well.

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"We are so happy for the outcome of the story, and wish to thank all the participants – especially these men who rescued the wolf and the doctors of the clinic who were not afraid to treat and nurture the wild animal," the group said.