Michelin-Starred Kiwi Chef Rescues Dog From French River
- Michelin-starred chef Nick Honeyman jumped into the Vézère river in south-west France to rescue a miniature dachshund named Yvi.
- The dog's owner, Julie Harris, was driving through France to return to the United Kingdom, according to Connexion France.
- According to Connexion France, Yvi bolted from the friend's garden, ran directly under a passing vehicle, emerged safely on the other side, and ran toward the river.
Michelin-starred chef Nick Honeyman jumped into the Vézère river in south-west France to rescue a miniature dachshund named Yvi. The 11-year-old dog had escaped a neighbor’s garden, run under a moving car, and plunged into the water, according to reports from the NZ Herald and Connexion France.
A Michelin-Starred Chef Dives Into the Vézère
The incident unfolded in Montignac in the Dordogne region. The dog’s owner, Julie Harris, was driving through France to return to the United Kingdom, according to Connexion France. Ms Harris had traveled to the UK to visit sick parents and arranged for a friend in Montignac to look after Yvi for the week. The morning after her departure, Ms Harris received two phone calls from a local veterinary clinic tracing the dog via its microchip.
From Street Traffic to the Riverbank
According to Connexion France, Yvi bolted from the friend’s garden, ran directly under a passing vehicle, emerged safely on the other side, and ran toward the river. Mr Honeyman, who operates the Michelin-starred restaurant Le Petit Léon in nearby Saint-Léon-sur-Vézère, was driving through Montignac when he witnessed the dog get hit and crawl out from beneath a car two vehicles ahead.
“I saw a dog get hit by a car in front of me, like two cars up,” Mr Honeyman said, as reported by Connexion France. “I just saw this dog come out, pop out the back of the car.”
Mr Honeyman initially thought the animal belonged to an elderly pedestrian nearby. Then Yvi suddenly bolted around a corner toward the river bridge in Montignac. He pursued the dog on foot. By the time he reached the riverbank, the dachshund had jumped straight into the water, according to Connexion France.
A 300-Meter Swim and a Grotto Hideout
“By the time I got there I saw that it was down by the river, and then it just jumped straight into the river…so I decided to strip down and swim,” Mr Honeyman said, as quoted by Connexion France.
Although Yvi had never swum before, the frightened animal managed to swim roughly 300 meters downstream and hide inside a small grotto on the opposite bank, according to Connexion France. Mr Honeyman swam across, approached the terrified dog slowly, gathered her into his arms, and faced a difficult return swim.
After successfully swimming back across the river carrying the dog, Mr Honeyman drove around the village searching for the owner. He eventually took Yvi to the veterinary clinic in shorts and dripping wet, holding a cold and shaking dachshund, according to Connexion France.
An Ungrateful Patient
Following the rescue, Ms Harris and Yvi visited Le Petit Léon to thank Mr Honeyman in person. But the dachshund’s reaction surprised the South African-born chef, who also operates a restaurant in Auckland, New Zealand.
When Mr Honeyman approached to offer a treat, the dog growled at him. This prompted the chef to remark that he understood Yvi had been frightened by the ordeal and associated him with the stressful experience, according to Connexion France.
“She growled at me. I was like, ‘Oh, we were such good mates!'” Mr Honeyman said, as reported by Connexion France.
Meanwhile, Mr Honeyman downplayed the rescue, telling Connexion France that helping pets was nothing out of the ordinary and something anyone would have done.